


Apartment 69

by Apparentlynotreallyfinnish



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Cheating, Closeted/In Denial!Link, Communication, Depictions of violence (not very graphic), Emotional Infidelity, Fantasizing, First Time, Fluff, Gay Porn Star!Rhett, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Masturbation, Panic Attacks, Pining, Play Fighting, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-03-26 08:56:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 49,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19002520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish/pseuds/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish
Summary: Link has it all figured out. He has a plan for his life. He has a nice girlfriend and a nice job and a nice routine. It really doesn't mean anything that sometimes he gets off on watching men fuck each other. He's just curious. But when a famous gay porn star (Rhett) moves next door to him, his perfect plans start to fall apart.





	1. A New Neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was actually prompted by Link Neal himself (something he mentioned on an episode of Earbiscuits). A tumblr blogger by the name of @floralcrownrhett brought this to my attention and I shall be forever grateful, because this AU has taken my heart and my mind. I need to tell their story!
> 
> Again, thank you for betaing and for the continued support to my lovely Tumblr wife for life, sassandpanache!

Link opened the door of his apartment that morning and almost tripped over a pile of boxes haphazardly left on the hallway floor. Link cursed under his breath and did a dance-esque jump over the boxes to avoid falling. The door to the apartment right across from him was open and there was a bustle of movement inside. Link rubbed his shinbone and peeked curiously inside. The apartment had been empty for a while. He wondered what kind of neighbor he was getting this time. The last guy had been nice, always stopping Link in the hallway for a quick chat. Link had been sad to see him go. A buff guy dressed in moving company overalls stepped to the hallway and grabbed some boxes.

“Sorry about these,” he said to Link. Link nodded to him and craned his neck to maybe catch a glimpse of the tenant, but all he could see were men in overalls. Finally, he gave up and headed off to work. He took the bus and walked through the park, stopping to get a cup of coffee from the little cart. He didn’t have to think about any of it. His feet carried him following the comforting path of routine. It was like clockwork. The girl manning the coffee cart smiled at him and made his usual order without asking. Link left a too big of a tip as always getting a cheery “have a nice day” as a thank you. He stepped inside of his office building, said hellos and good mornings to his co-workers and sat in his little cubicle. He put his Styrofoam cup down on the table and started his computer as he whistled a tune that had been stuck on his head for days. He opened his email and sent replies as he sipped on his coffee. It was a good morning.

He had lunch at the park sitting at his usual spot next to a fountain, looking at the people walking past. He liked to think up little stories about the strangers. That man was obviously on his way to get a little afternoon delight on his lunch break. That couple was hoping to buy an apartment together and were going around to showings, trying to find the perfect one. That boy had skipped school to go to an audition for a dance company, head full of dreams of a better future. So on and so forth. Link smiled at himself, enjoying the little worlds he was inventing. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich was as good as yesterday and the day before. He sighed contently after finishing it and turned his face to the sun. He felt the warmth on his face. This was a good life, wasn’t it, he thought to himself. He liked the routine. He liked the fact that everything was going according to his carefully laid out plan. This is how it was supposed to be.

A demanding buzz of his phone brought him back from his thoughts. Link opened the message and for the first time since the stumble that morning, his brows furrowed. Catherine was asking what time he was picking her up. Link sighed. It was Thursday. Date night. How had he forgotten? He quickly reserved a table and sent a text back with the time. After he’d pressed send, he realized he should’ve written something about how he couldn’t wait for tonight. Wouldn’t she expect that? Link wasn’t sure. He got up, waving to the coffee cart girl as he passed her and getting a sweet smile back. The sun was still warm on his back but the good mood of that morning was replaced with a tightening in his chest.

It wasn’t until that night, when he was returning to his apartment from an adequately nice dinner with Catherine, that he remembered the new neighbor. Catherine was holding his hand as they walked from the elevator to his door. He was holding her hand too, obviously, but for some reason it always felt more like her thing. As Link started to dig for his keys, the door of the apartment across from him opened. A tall figure stepped into the hallway. The first thing that caught Link’s eyes was his shoes. They were almost blindingly white Vans. Link wondered if they were brand new. No one could keep those kind of shoes so white. Link’s gaze traveled up the tight black jeans, getting stuck on the strong thighs for a second before going over the leather jacket covered broad chest and finally taking in the face of his new neighbor. Link’s knees buckled and he surreptitiously leaned against his door. The man was a vision. He had a dirty blond hair that he had styled into a curled pompadour. His eyes were a fascinating mix between gray and green. Link wanted to pull him closer so he could make it his life’s work to find a name for the color that made him so out of breath. To top it all off, the man had a bushy beard that matched his hair beautifully. He was smiling pleasantly at them.

“Oh, hello. You must be my new neighbors,” a low voice boomed. The timbre of it made shivers run down Link’s spine. The man offered his hand to Link, but he was still staring at his face and didn’t notice. Catherine furrowed her brows at Link and took the offered hand.

“Hello, there. I’m Catherine. This is Charles,” she offered smiling at the stranger.

“Nice to meet you, Catherine. Charles. I’m Rhett.”

Link couldn’t pry his eyes off the man. He looked so familiar. Had they met before? It seemed impossible. Wouldn’t he remember that face? He certainly would. But there was still a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. Something about this tall stranger made his stomach tighten dangerously. Rhett turned his gaze from Catherine back to Link and he finally realized he was acting awkwardly.

“I’m sorry. I was just trying to figure out where I know you from,” Link said laughing nervously. He took the man’s hand and tried not to blush as his warm skin pressed firmly against his own.

“Oh, I get that a lot. I guess I just have one of those faces,” the man said. The corner of his lips hitched up and his eyes suddenly had a wicked glint in them. It was too much for Link and he felt the blush creeping to his neck. The handshake seemed to last forever. From the corner of his eye Link saw that Catherine’s smile was tightening. Catherine cleared her throat, and Link let go of Rhett’s hand. His was left feeling warm and tingly.

“Um, anyway. Welcome to the building. Maybe we’ll see each other around?” Link managed to get out as Rhett’s eyes still studied him with amusement.

“I’m sure we will. It was nice to meet you guys. Excuse me, I have an appointment I need to get to.”

With that, he was striding towards the elevator. Link stared at his receding figure and bit his lip. Catherine’s sharp voice startled him from his reverie.

“Charles. Can we get inside now?”

“Oh, of course. Here, let me get the door for you,” Link mumbled as he stuck the keys into the lock. Catherine stepped in before him and Link looked back and locked eyes with Rhett. Before the elevator doors closed, Rhett winked at him.


	2. Sunday Plans

The next morning, Link and Catherine sat at the breakfast table, both in their robes, reading the paper. Link had just finished his section and was waiting for Catherine to finish hers so they could switch. He was buttering toast and his mind was wandering to last night. Catherine had seemed a bit cold after their run in with Rhett, but she’d warmed up quickly to Link’s kisses. They’d had sex as they did every Thursday night. It had been pleasant. That was the most accurate word for it in Link’s mind: pleasant. He sometimes wondered why everyone else seemed to be so wrapped up in getting into bed with other people. For Link, it just didn’t seem worth that much effort. He actually wouldn’t mind skipping a few Thursdays here and there, but he knew it kept Catherine happy. He needed to keep Catherine happy. She was part of his plan.

Catherine folded her section and passed it to Link. He smiled at her warmly. She smiled sweetly back. This was nice. Link would enjoy these quiet mornings with her when they would finally get married and move in together. Link poured himself another cup of coffee and buried himself into an article about rural areas’ school problems.

“Don’t forget the dinner this Sunday,” Catherine said after a while.

“Oh.” Link lifted his eyes from the paper looking dazedly at her. Then it dawned on him. Her parents were coming in for a visit. “Of course. At six o’clock, yes?” Catherine squinted coolly at him over her paper and nodded. She definitely knew he’d forgotten.

“Should I get them something?” he asked hoping to diffuse the situation. He could almost feel the chill settling around them.

“No, I got them a bottle of Mom’s favorite wine already. Just be on time,” she snapped.

“I’m always on time,” Link mumbled furrowing his brow. It was true. He prided himself on that.

“Fine. Just be there. I’m gonna go get ready for work.” She got up and left Link to clear the table alone.

They separated on the sidewalk outside of Link’s building. Link leaned to give her a kiss goodbye which she accepted by turning her cheek to him. Link bit his lip as she walked away. He knew that it was normal for couples to fight, but Catherine’s silent treatments always left him feeling a little lost. Link moseyed to the bus stop. He was early as he had wanted to walk Catherine out so he sat on the bench and tried to entertain himself with some people watching. It was only eight o’clock but it was already stiflingly hot. Link kept trying to cool himself off with fanning a stack of papers he’d pulled from his briefcase. After a few uncomfortable minutes, a big, black pick-up truck pulled to a stop next to him. The window rolled open with a whir. Link’s head shot up and he felt his eyes widen at the sight of the shaggy blonde hair.

“Hey there neighbor! Need a ride?” Rhett asked leaning to look at Link from the passenger side window.

“Oh, um…The bus will be here soon. No need for you to go out of your way,” Link stumbled over his words.

“I’d be happy to. Come on! I have A/C,” Rhett coaxed him with a smirk. Link could feel a bead of sweat rolling down from his temple. Why not?

“A/C sounds like heaven. Thank you,” he said as he climbed into the car. It was so big he had to literally hop in. He was enveloped by a mixture of new car smell and a smell that had to be Rhett. It was intoxicating. The cool air blasting from the vents made him let out a relieved sigh and he stuck his work papers back into the briefcase.

“Where to, boss?” Rhett asked with a cheerful smile. He seemed to be wearing the same clothes as last night. The only difference were the sunglasses that, to Link’s disappointment, hid his eyes. Link buckled himself up and gave Rhett the address of his office building. Rhett tapped it into the navigation app and pulled back into traffic. The radio was set to a country music channel and Rhett bobbed his head slightly in rhythm with the music. Link knew he was being very obvious with the staring but it was hard to look away.

“Where’s your lady friend?” Rhett asked after the song ended and another one began.

“She went to work.” Link’s answer was short. He realized that for some reason he didn’t really want to talk about Catherine with Rhett.

“Doesn’t use the bus then?”

“No. She went to the metro. Her office is pretty far from my place,” Link answered forcing his eyes away from Rhett and looking straight ahead instead. 

“Your place?” Rhett asked sounding surprised. “I thought you guys lived together.”

“Oh, no. Not yet. We’ve only been dating for six months.”

Rhett made a tiny noise with his throat. Link glanced at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just seemed like you had been together for longer than that.”

Link couldn’t decide if it was meant as a compliment or a slight. If they’d known each other better, he would’ve asked.

“So, what do you do then?” he asked instead. Jobs. That was a safe conversation topic. At least that’s what Link thought but then Rhett’s eyes flashed to him and his brows furrowed a bit. Link’s stomach clenched. Maybe he had told him already and Link had forgotten? Maybe he was unemployed and didn’t want to talk about it? Maybe he had a secret government job? Link’s mind was racing. He didn’t want to upset Rhett. Actually, more than anything, he wanted Rhett to like him. Secretly, he’d been hoping they could become friends. Link could feel his mouth drying and he wrung his hands nervously. But then a smile returned to Rhett’s face.

“This and that. Some projects in the film industry. You know, the usual L.A. stuff.”

“Oh, that sounds…interesting,” was all Link managed to get out. He was usually pretty good at small talk. Why did it seem so hard right now?

“How about you?”

“I’m an industrial engineer,” Link answered feeling slightly embarrassed. It wasn’t a very glamorous job. It seemed like most people in Los Angeles were working in the entertainment industry one way or the other.

“Aah, I could tell you were a smarty pants,” Rhett said with a low chuckle that made Link’s cheeks burn. He didn’t really know what to say to that. So, they sat in silence for a while. Link felt like his head was filled with cotton. His thoughts were muddled and floating around aimlessly. It was hard to concentrate. They were already nearing his office. He didn’t want to get out of the car, out of the scent of Rhett. Link was wracking his brain, trying to figure out how to lengthen his time in the presence of this tall man. 

“Any good coffee places around here? I don’t usually drink coffee but I really need a boost this morning. I had a long night,” Rhett said. Link perked up. Here was his chance.

“I usually get my morning coffee from this little cart at the park here. It’s pretty good. Maybe… I don’t know. Would you like to come with me?” Link asked feeling a heat rising onto his neck. Why was he feeling like he was asking the man out on a date? It was just coffee. Rhett turned to look at him as he parked the truck. Link unbuckled himself and returned the gaze, even though he couldn’t see Rhett’s eyes through the tinted lenses. Rhett smiled, and Link thought the temperature in the car rose a few degrees.

“That sounds like a plan,” Rhett said.

Link scrambled for the door handle. His hands were shaking. That was something that happened to him always when he was excited or nervous. He was both of those things right now.

“Here, let me get the door for you. It’s a bit tricky,” Rhett said and leaned towards Link. Time seemed to slow down and the moment stretched to infinity in Link’s mind. Rhett’s body leaned closer and closer until his broad chest blocked Link’s view of the outside. Link lifted his chin instinctively to get a closer look at the man hovering inches away from him. Time stalled completely. It was like all oxygen had suddenly been sucked from the inside of the car and the only way Link could start breathing again was to inhale the last drops of lifesaving air straight from Rhett’s lungs. Link’s eyes devoured Rhett’s lip balm coated lips. They had a light sheen and Link was certain he could smell a faint scent of berries. Rhett was so close that his beard scratched lightly at Link’s skin. He felt Rhett’s warm breath on his cheek and for a second he was absolutely certain they were going to kiss. His heart hammered on like a freight train. Then time jump-started again and in a flash, Rhett was back in his seat. The door was popped open and Link remembered how to breathe again.

“Lead the way,” Rhett motioned towards the park. Link got out of the car, legs shaky and weak. He pushed the door close and took a deep breath. He needed to get a grip. This was getting ridiculous. 

They walked to the park side by side. The back of Rhett’s hand kept lightly brushing against Link’s and he felt an uncontrollable need to take Rhett’s hand on his own, entwine himself to those long fingers and feel the warmth that had haunted him since they first shook hands. He didn’t, obviously, but just the intensity of the need scared him a little bit. 

The coffee cart girl greeted Link with her usual sweet smile and then looked at Rhett with widened eyes. Rhett smiled at the girl, making her blush fiercely, and ordered what Link was having. Link felt a strange pride for walking around with Rhett by his side. It was like Rhett’s smooth and charming presence somehow said something about Link too. It lifted Link up that this tall specimen of masculinity was choosing to spend his time with Link. They sat down at Link’s usual lunch spot next to the fountain. To Link’s delight, Rhett lifted his sunglasses on top of his head and looked at Link. Link stared back enthralled in the hues of jade twinkling at him.

“Well, this is lovely. You come here every morning?” Rhett asked as they waited for their coffees to cool down to a drinking temperature. 

“I drink my coffee at the office, but I come here for lunch almost every day. I like watching people,” Link said. He wasn’t sure why he offered Rhett the thing about people watching, but he felt warmth radiating to his chest when Rhett answered.

“I love that too. It’s such a nice thought that everyone around you has their own lives, their own problems and victories, totally separated from your experience but we’re all still in this together somehow. You know?”

Link looked at Rhett mouth hanging slightly open. That was exactly how he felt, but he couldn’t have ever put it so eloquently. Rhett turned to look at him and Link snapped his mouth shut.

“Yes, that’s exactly how I feel. I even do this thing where I think up stories for the people I see. Silly, right?” he said smiling shyly. Rhett’s eyebrows shot up.

“I do that too!” he exclaimed with an excited, booming voice. They chuckled together at the shared pastime and then a silence fell between them. After some time, Link thought of something to ask.

“You said you had a long night? Did you have a night shoot or something?”

“Yeah. It was pretty grueling. I don’t usually have many night shifts but this one was an outdoors thing.”

“Oh. Are they riding you hard then?”

Rhett let out a low chuckle and looked at Link with a crooked smile.

“Sometimes, yeah.”

“But you like your work?” Link asked. That was just the feeling he was getting from the way Rhett talked about it.

“I guess, yeah. I’m very good at it. Gives me a certain kind of professional pride. But it’s still work. Like any other kind, there are things I don’t like that much. And it’s very tiring sometimes.

“Hmm. Probably lots of long days? Isn’t that the way film industry works?”

“Yes. But to balance that I have lots of free time too. So, how about you? Do you like your work?”

“Oh, um. I guess? Not to brag but I’m very good at it too. But it’s not anything I dreamed about when I was a kid. I just kind of ended up into it, you know?”

“Hmm. I get it. Same for me too.”

They fell silent again. Link kept sipping on his drink. He glanced at the time. He was already late for work. This was a first. Rhett seemed to notice his fidgeting.

“Well, I need to get going. I have another shoot in an about an hour.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, I need to get to work too. Thanks for the ride.”

“It was my pleasure.”

They stood up and started walking towards Rhett’s car. Link kept opening his mouth and closing it again. He wanted to say something. Something that would bring them together again in some form. Could he ask to get coffee again? Would that sound like too much of a come on?

“You…uh…settling okay? To the apartment?” Link finally asked, just so he could get Rhett speaking again.

“Yeah. It’s great. The living room is a horrendous color of puce though. I’m gonna paint it on Sunday.”

“Do you need some help with that?” Link jumped at the chance to the possibility to spend more time with Rhett.

“I would love that. Thank you for offering. Very neighborly of you.” Rhett was smiling widely at him. Link’s breath hitched at the radiance of his smile and his foot missed the curb. Link’s coffee cup flew out of his hands as he scrambled for balance. A steadying hand grabbed his waist and pulled him back upright. Link found himself standing flush against Rhett. He didn’t dare to look up.

“Watch your step there, Charles,” Rhett’s voice came from so close and the low timbre made Link’s stomach clench. He was bright red and his pants were getting increasingly tight in a certain area.

“Umm…thanks. Sorry. So clumsy. Sorry. Bye.” Link muttered and basically ran for the entrance of his office building. He couldn’t make himself look back even when he heard Rhett’s voice say:

“See you on Sunday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on Tumblr! (I'm @apparentlynotreallyfinnish there as well.) 
> 
> Sassandpanache, thank you for figuring out the plot for this with me and thank you for your continued enthusiasm for my writing. You're the best beta a girl could ask for!


	3. Color Me Blue

Link was early. At least twenty minutes early. He was wearing an old t-shirt that had some holes in it and some sweatpants he didn’t care that much about. It annoyed him a bit to look this ragged to meet Rhett but it made no sense to wear nice clothes when they were painting. Instead he’d spent an unusual amount of time fixing his hair into a stylized swoop. He’d even chosen a nice, bourbon and oak smelling pomade he hoped Rhett would like. Not that he’d be smelling Link’s hair on purpose, but Link still felt that it was polite to smell good. He stood in front of Rhett’s door with a chilled six pack of beer and a nervously tapping foot. He wasn’t sure if he should knock since he was so early. At least twenty minutes early.

Rhett had knocked on his door last night asking if Link could come by at two o’clock the next day. They’d stood on Link’s doorstep for a good while. They discussed things like the painting process and moving in general, but it was still one of best conversations Link had had that week. Link thought about inviting Rhett in but it was late, so he feared it might seem a bit strange. Rhett made no moves either to come further in. He just leaned against the doorframe and kept smiling at Link as they talked about paint colors.

After Rhett finally said good night and disappeared into his own apartment, Link was left leaning against his closed apartment door. He felt strangely giddy. _It’s just nice to have a new friend_ , he insisted. Link hadn’t gotten to know many people after his company had relocated him to Los Angeles a year and a half ago. He kept in touch with his North Carolinian friends, but it wasn’t the same. It would be nice to hang out with a guy friend face to face. Maybe go to a bar once in a while or to the movies. If Rhett liked to go to sports events, Link would happily do that too even though he didn’t really care about those.

Link did his evening chores with an uncontainable smile on his face. He went to bed thinking about Rhett’s eyes. He’d been so mesmerized by their color that only earlier that night had he realized how the skin around them crinkled into smile lines when he looked at Link. It made Link feel curious flutterings in his stomach. Sleep was hard to come by that night. Link’s mind kept going back to Friday morning, back to the moment when their bodies pressed together. The covers grew hot and restraining as he felt flushed all over. After hours of uneasy rolling around, he finally fell asleep. He woke up cranky and tired, but it was nothing a good two hour workout at the gym couldn’t cure.

Now he was standing in front of Rhett’s door feeling equally excited and nervous. It wasn’t rude to be early, right? Link imagined knocking now, Rhett opening the door and frowning at him. His stomach clenched at just the thought of Rhett being annoyed at him. With a quick twirl, Link returned to his apartment. He stuck the beers back into the fridge and sat on his couch. His foot kept tapping on the floor as he sat there staring at the clock hand ticking closer to two o’clock. At 2:01, he grabbed the six pack and basically ran to Rhett’s door.

“You’re right on time!” Rhett opened the door with a wide smile on his face. Link beamed back at him and he was so fixated on Rhett’s crinkling eyes that it took him a moment to notice what Rhett was wearing. Or rather, what he wasn’t. Link’s gaze swept over Rhett’s bare shoulders and arms. His chest was partially covered by the denim overalls. That’s all he wore: goddamn denim overalls. Link suddenly felt weak at the knees. Rhett seemed to pick up on his mood change.

“I’m sorry about my attire. Can you believe the move-in company lost some of my boxes? I only have the clothes I wore on moving day and some really weird things I’ve gotten from sets,” he explained with a nervous laugh and a sweeping hand motioning to his appearance. Link tried to swallow surreptitiously. His throat felt weirdly tight. He coughed and looked down at himself just to look at something else than Rhett’s bare skin.

“It’s fine. Not like I’m wearing a suit and tie,” Link said shrugging. He pinched at his shirt near his shoulder and lifted it a bit as if to showcase to Rhett how horrible it was.

“Sure. And this way I don’t have to worry about my shirt getting dirty,” Rhett said cheerily. The word ‘dirty’ was left bouncing around Link’s mind. He felt the thought forming: _I wouldn’t mind you getting a bit dirty._ But he pushed it away as soon as it surfaced.

“Here,” Link said remembering the beers. He offered them to Rhett. “Brought some lubrication.”

Rhett laughed and there was a glint in his eyes that made Link’s stomach flip. Rhett took the case and moved away from the door to let Link in. Link walked through his foyer to the living room hoping to get some idea what type of stuff Rhett liked, to learn something about him through his interior design preferences. But most of his things were still in boxes and all of his living room furniture were pushed into the middle of the room and covered with black plastic, so Link was left wondering.

“I’m just gonna pop these into the fridge. We can enjoy them later, yeah?”

“Sure. Sounds good,” Link affirmed. He walked around the living room, stopping at the window. You could see the bus stop from this side of the building and a sliver of the park not far from them. Rhett moved quietly for such a big guy because suddenly, he was right behind Link making him jump a little.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” Rhett said with a low chuckle and continued. “Not much of a view.”

“Mmh. It’s not so bad. All I can see is the other building. At least you got a bit of green right there,” Link said pointing at the park.

“I guess. I still miss home sometimes. Haven’t really gotten used to the city even though I’ve been here for a long time already.”

“So, where is home?” Link asked, grateful for the opportunity to get to know Rhett better.

“Wake Forest, North Carolina.”

“No way! I’m from Buies Creek!” The unexpected connection made Link’s stomach flutter.

“Wow! I thought I was picking up on an accent, but wasn’t sure.” Rhett seemed pleased about it too.

“When did you move here?” Link asked.

“Right out of high school.”

“Oh, wow. Brave.”

“Not really. It would have been braver of me to stay home,” Rhett said his gaze turning distant. Link couldn’t help but to feel they were touching on a sore subject. He moved quickly to ease the tension.

“So, painting. Where do we start?” Link said clapping his hands together in mock excitement. Rhett jumped a bit at the sound and looked down at Link, his smile returning.

They started by prepping the room, taping up light switches and laying down protective paper on the floors. They mostly worked in a comfortable silence. Soon Rhett was fiddling with lid of the paint canister and Link peeked behind his shoulder with interest.

“What color did you choose?”

“Blue. I think it’ll go nicely with my furniture and I’ve found myself liking it a lot recently,” Rhett said. Link could hear the smile on his voice. The lid finally popped open and Link saw the bright blue paint.

“I like your choice. That’s a beautiful color,” Link agreed.

Rhett turned to look him in the eyes. “It really is.” Rhett’s voice was suddenly low and gravelly. Link found them standing close to each other again. His mind immediately flashed to Friday morning. His body was buzzing with the need to take a step and press into Rhett. He felt a phantom arm around his waist and his eyes flitted closed for a second when his mind conjured an image of Rhett’s face leaning down on him. Unlike the Rhett in his mind, the real Rhett stepped next to him, reaching for the paint tray and their hips nudged. Link jerked away and tried to mask the motion as him going for the brushes. He busied himself with the project and tried to stamp down his heated thoughts.

They did a quick division of work. Link was painting with a smaller brush, going for the more detailed work where it was needed while Rhett worked with the big roller laying down wide swatches of paint. It didn’t take them long to get the first layer done. Link went to clean the brushes while Rhett got them some beers. When Link returned he found Rhett sitting on a gray plush couch he’d unwrapped from the plastics. Rhett handed him an open bottle and patted the couch cushion next to him.

“Sit down. Let’s marvel at our handiwork.”

Link took the bottle and sat down gingerly, leaving a spacious gap between them. Rhett tilted his bottle towards Link and Link clinked on it with his own. He took a long swig. The cold beer felt nice after doing some manual labor. He didn’t usually drink beer but it had seemed like the safest option to bring. He thought of asking Rhett what he usually liked to drink but forgot as his gaze flitted to Rhett’s bare shoulders again. Rhett said something, but Link didn’t react. His brain was occupied with more pressing matters, like the one pressing against his crossed legs.

“Charles?” Rhett’s voice pierced his foggy mind.

“Oh, sorry. What were you saying?”

“That I’m sorry I didn’t realize we actually had to sit and watch paint dry. Should’ve thought up something to pass the time.”

“This is fine by me. It’s nice to just chat.”

“It would be, yeah,” Rhett said teasingly. Link took another swig of his beer hoping his blush wasn’t very apparent. He balanced the bottle on his knee and started to scratch the corner of the label.

“It’s Link, by the way.”

“What?” Rhett asked looking confused.

“My name. You can call me Link.”

“Link.” His name sounded heavenly rolling off of Rhett’s tongue like that, like he was tasting it. Link wanted to ask him to say it again. Preferably multiple times, while breathing heavily. 

“Okay. Did I get that wrong earlier? I thought your girlfriend…”

“Oh, no! You heard her right. She calls me Charles. It is my name. Charles Lincoln Neal the Third. I’ve just always gone by Link but she…um…she thinks that Link is ridiculous.” Link’s voice lowered to a whisper at the end. He felt embarrassed for some reason. Rhett turned to look at him.

“That’s not very nice of her. If you don’t mind me saying.”

“I…” Link started. For some reason, he almost felt like crying. He swallowed hard fighting the feeling. “It’s fine. I get it. Link is a bit ridiculous.” He laughed awkwardly, trying to cut the tension that had risen between them.

“Well, I like it. It suits you. Link,” Rhett said whispering his name again and making Link squeeze his legs together a bit harder. He continued scratching the label. Rhett silenced too and drank his beer. He eyed the walls with a contemplative look on his face.

“The puce is really hard to cover up. We might need two more layers.”

Link nodded and looked at the walls too. With an hour of drying time in between, he’d have at least three-ish hours with Rhett, maybe more. He couldn’t help the smile that spread on his face.

“So, you think you’re getting your clothes back or do you have to go on a shopping spree?” Link asked Rhett making him laugh.

“I think I might have to do that. God! I hate shopping. Maybe you could come with me. Help me choose stuff.”

“You gonna do a fashion show for me?” Link asked, laughing now too. The idea of sitting in a dressing room as Rhett pranced around in different outfits was not at all unappealing.

“I might. If you ask nicely, I might even do an underwear round,” Rhett’s voice dropped low as he crooked an eyebrow at Link. Link had just been having a drink and he sputtered and coughed as the beer went down to his windpipe. Rhett moved next to him and smacked him on the upper back a few times. He looked genuinely worried.

“Gosh. I’m sorry. Just a stupid joke. Can you breathe?”

“Yeah,” Link rasped and drew a shaky breath. Rhett’s hand had stayed on his back after the last smack. Link’s skin felt hot under his palm. It was almost like there was no fabric between them. Heat radiated down his spine. Rhett’s thigh was pressed against his. They were so close Link could smell Rhett. It was a mix of sweet scents, probably the berry lip balm Link had noticed before and a nice, musky smell that had to be just unadulterated Rhett. Link wanted to lean into him and take a deep breath. He wanted to fill his lungs with Rhett-laced air. But the hand on his back slipped away and Link was left yearning for it to return.

“When did you move to L.A.?” Rhett asked and made room between them. Link let out a relieved breath. Talking, yes, that was good and safe. Link relaxed back onto the couch.

“About a year and a half ago. I was relocated. I volunteered so none of my co-workers who had a family had to move.”

“That’s nice of you.”

“I guess. It wasn’t totally selfless. It was a nice change of scenery for me too.”

The conversation continued to flow easily. They talked about North Carolina, about moving cross country, about how different Los Angeles was. The wait was over too fast to Link’s liking and they were painting again. This time they didn’t paint in silence. Rhett turned the radio on. They bonded over their shared love of country music and sang along. Rhett seemed to know all words to the songs and his voice was low and honeyed. Link usually only knew the choruses, but he joined in when he could and couldn’t help feeling a warm flush of emotion at the realization of how good they sounded together. 

Two new beers were opened after the second coat was finished. They examined their work and determined that Rhett had been right. They still needed to do at least one more coat. Link was crossing his fingers for one more after that just so he could stay right here, sitting on Rhett’s very comfortable couch sipping his beer and talking about anything and everything with him. The second beer cooled his body but Rhett’s smile warmed his mind. This time around, they sat closer together. Link’s dangling leg kept brushing against the denim covering Rhett’s leg and, at some point, Rhett’s arm had found its way on the back of the couch behind Link’s head. If Rhett would move it forward a bit, it would drop on Link’s shoulder. Link let himself sink into the fantasy for a few minutes. It was innocent enough, just Rhett’s arm draped across him, palm resting on Link’s arm, Link leaning into him, the slight squeeze of Rhett’s fingers on his bicep. There was a flush of heat in Link’s belly and a bit of a sad feeling as he pushed the images away. Rhett got them the last beers and Link felt a light buzz taking his brain. 

It was soon clear that Rhett was feeling the buzz too. As they painted the third layer, an accidental dripping of paint onto Link’s arm quickly morphed into an all-out paint war. The bare walls of the living room echoed from their yelps and laughter as Rhett chased Link, who’d retaliated the tiny drop of paint by swiping Rhett’s nose blue with his paintbrush. Link tried to duck behind the covered furniture, but Rhett chased him out from his hiding place. Feeling that offence was the best defence, Link jumped on the newly covered couch and attacked Rhett from higher ground as he came towards him with the paint roller. Both of them got some licks in. Link managed to drop the roller from Rhett’s hand and swiped with his brush like he was in a sword fight. Rhett laughed and dodged and finally grabbed Link’s wrists to stop him. He pulled on Link’s hands trying to get him off the couch. Link’s foot got stuck between cushions and in a mess of surprised yips, gasps and swinging limbs, they found themselves sprawled on the floor, Link laying on top of Rhett. 

Rhett was laughing under him, his voice trickling out of him in rumbling bursts. Link felt his body shaking in rhythm with Rhett’s laughter and couldn’t help joining Rhett in his exhilaration. They shook against each other in a warm cloud of amusement and exhaustion. Rhett was finally able to snatch the paintbrush from Link and slowly drew a swipe right across his cheeks and nose. His laughter stilled and he smiled fondly at the sight of Link like this.

“Now your face matches your eyes,” Rhett said voice hoarse from laughing. Link stared at him unable to wipe the goofy smile from his face. Rhett threw the brush away and lifted his hand to brush Link’s mussed hair out of his forehead. Link felt a trickle of tingles starting from his scalp and running down his spine. His smile faltered for a second and he fought the moan that wanted to escape him. Rhett’s hand moved to cup his face and suddenly the mood changed completely. Both of their smiles disappeared. Link could see Rhett’s throat move as he swallowed. The room was silent, Link was certain that even the radio had magically turned the volume down. 

“Link,” Rhett’s voice was barely a whisper and Link felt dizzy with something new building up inside of him. It felt like a dream and Link’s face leaned down on its own accord. Catherine! Link stopped centimeters from Rhett’s lips as the sudden realization hit him. With a quick movement, he rolled away from Rhett who made a strangled groan as Link’s knee connected with his crotch in his hurry to get up.

“OhmygodIforgotImsolate!” Link’s words came out in a jumble.

“What?” Rhett seemed startled by Link’s sudden mood shift. He’d curled up in a ball and was still wincing from the pain, but he turned to look at Link with a confused expression.

“I’m sorry. I have to go. I’m gonna be late. I was supposed to meet Catherine and her parents at six!” Link was yelling back towards the living room as he ran to the door. He threw Rhett’s apartment door open and stopped dead. A chill ran through him. Catherine was standing at his door. Hearing the commotion behind her, she turned slowly, and her eyes went wide.

“Charles!” she gasped horrified.


	4. A Dinner And A Show

Link stood frozen in the hallway. Catherine’s eyes were darting around his messy appearance. When her gaze finally zeroed into Link’s eyes, he felt an icy chill down his spine. Her hand shot towards Link.

“Keys!”

Link dug them out of his pocket and Catherine snatched them out of his trembling hand. She opened the door and grabbed Link, her fingers painfully digging into Link’s wrist as she yanked him inside. The door swung closed behind them. Link stood in his foyer looking at her sheepishly. She was livid. She stood in front of him arms crossed over her chest and stared at Link with what he could only describe as murder in her eyes.

“I…I thought we were supposed to meet at the restaurant,” Link stammered. Catherine squinted at him.

“Really, Charles?” she spit out, voice dripping with poison. “Are you seriously trying to turn this on me?”

“No! No I wasn’t. I’m so sorry, Catherine. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just surprised to see you,” Link’s stomach roiled. He felt like he was five years old again, being scolded because he’d stolen a toy from the neighbor’s kid. He felt small. Worst of it was that he knew he deserved it. He’d been thoughtless and selfish. He’d gotten so wrapped up in his new friendship he’d literally forgotten about his girlfriend. And that didn’t even take into account whatever that thing was that had happened minutes ago on Rhett’s living room floor. Link pushed that quickly out of his mind. Nothing had happened. There was no need to think about that.

“For your information, yes, we were supposed to meet there, but you weren’t answering my texts. So, I came to see if something was wrong,” Catherine said, voice tight and shrill.

Hot shame flushed through Link. He was horrible. There he had been, giggling and playing like a goddamn child and Catherine had been worried about him. He stepped towards her holding his hands out. She stepped back and shook her head. Link’s hands dropped to his sides.

“No! I can’t even look at you like that. Go clean up and get ready. I’ll call the restaurant. Hopefully we can push back our reservation. Mom and Dad just have to wait at the bar for us. You can explain to them why you’ve wasted their time like this,” she said looking away from Link as she spoke. Link hung his head and walked past her. She jerked away and made a sound that almost sounded like a hiss.

“I can’t believe you’ve acted like this. I was under the impression that I was dating an adult.”

“I’m sorry,” Link whispered, tears burning in his eyes as he stumbled to the bathroom.

He looked in the mirror. No wonder Catherine was mad. He was an utter mess. His previously perfectly styled hair was sticking up and out. His face looked like he’d attempted to do some kind of a weird war paint but had failed miserably. His clothes had paint all over them too. A lone tear streaked its way through the blue stripe on his cheek. Link brushed it off angrily, feeling the back of his hand get wet. He glared at it like the paint stain was somehow the culprit for his foul mood. The blue was actually very similar to his eye color, he suddenly realized. Hadn’t Rhett said something about that? Link had been so dazed that he hadn’t really registered Rhett’s words. Something about Link’s face matching his eyes? What a weird coincidence. Link stared at his hand and an image of Rhett looking up at him with laughter in his eyes as he was painting his face rose into his mind. Link’s stomach tightened. He felt like growling.

Link could hear Catherine talking on the phone. Her voice had morphed into a honeyed tone as she attempted to persuade the restaurant to accommodate her. Link remembered that voice. She’d used that on him too when they first started dating. It seemed like a long time ago. That seemed strange. They hadn’t been together for very long. Shouldn’t she still talk to him like that? But then again, he didn’t really deserve it. Link’s hands punched up to fists and he fought the tears again. He was miserable and it was his own damn fault. _How did I get so carried away?_ The strange, intense feelings that he’d developed for Rhett ‑ he needed to stop. Right at this second. He didn’t need a friend. He needed Catherine. He needed to stay the course that had been mapped out for him. He’d go to dinner and, to the best of his ability, make amends with Catherine. He didn’t even really have to say anything to Rhett. They barely knew each other. They’d only met few days ago, for Christ’s sake. They’d easily go back to just being courteous neighbors. Link sighed. He actually felt a bit better. More centered. He knew how to do this. He forced a smile on his face and started to wash up. 

The reservation was successfully pushed back and Link managed to sort himself out. He put on a clean-cut suit Catherine had laid out for him. They were waiting for an Uber outside, in what seemed like record time for Link. Catherine stood near the curb. She’d turned her back to Link. She was obviously still fuming. Her foot tapped an annoyed rhythm into the pavement and she angrily tapped on her phone. Link stood in the heat in his suit hoping he could take the blazer off. He knew better than to do that, though. Catherine was mad enough as it was. Link turned to look at his building. His eyes searched for Rhett’s window. Not that he could see in from down here. He still looked. He thought about waving. What if he was standing at the window? Link wondered what Rhett was thinking right now. Was he mad at Link for running out like that? 

“You should really get a car,” Catherine suddenly said. Link jumped and turned to look at her. He felt embarrassed. Like she could read from his face that he’d been thinking about Rhett. She was looking at him, lips pursed together.

“I don’t want a car. I like the bus. And Uber works fine,” Link said defensively. Catherine huffed and turned again.

“We’re getting a car when we move in together,” she stated. Like it was decided. Link frowned. He opened his mouth to object but then the Uber showed up. They sat in silence for the whole ride. When they got to the restaurant, Catherine’s demeanor changed completely. She wrapped herself around Link’s arm at the door and squealed as she saw her mother. They changed handshakes and hugs and awkward, hovered cheek kisses. They had time for drinks at the bar as they waited for their new reservation time.

“So, what was the hold up?” Catherine’s father asked, looking at Link, brows furrowed. Link took a deep breath and prepared to apologize. But Catherine was faster.

“Charles’ new neighbor had some kind of a plumbing problem and you know Charles, he just couldn’t say no. He had to try and help. Of course, he got all dirty in the process and had to change,” Catherine said to her parents with a soft giggle and a loving glance at Link. Link looked back at Catherine with a small smile. Maybe she was finally softening. It was nice of her to save him from her father’s judgment like that. Catherine’s mother smiled and nodded approvingly. With a soft sigh, Catherine let her head fall to rest on Link’s shoulder.

“It’s good to be nice to your neighbors like that. You’ve gotten yourself a good man, Kitty Cat,” her mother said with a smile and an approving nod. Catherine leaned towards her and mock-whispered like she was saying something scandalous.

“I know. And he’s cute, too.”

Catherine’s parents laughed goodheartedly and her mother patted her arm and, with a wink, said, “True. Very cute. Wouldn’t kick him out of my bed for eating crackers.”

“Mother!” Catherine shrieked and laughed.

“Margaret!” Catherine’s father exclaimed feigning shock. Link laughed with them, but inside he felt squirmy and uncomfortable.

As they finally were guided to their table, Link leaned to Catherine’s ear and whispered.

“Thank you. For not exposing my shenanigans.”

He waited for a low chuckle or maybe even a quick kiss on the cheek but all he got was an ice cold stare and a whispered, “I’m not letting your childish behavior fuck up this night.”

Link almost gasped. Catherine rarely cursed. It felt like a slap on the face. Link sat down at the table, trying to plaster a smile on. Catherine seemed to have no problem with that. She was already smiling brightly and joking with her mother. Link settled into the evening with a growing anxiety in the pit of his stomach.

The dinner was quite uneventful until dessert. After the waiter had brought Catherine’s father a new pie slice because the first one was apparently undercooked, they got to talking about Catherine’s father’s business. He was the CEO of his own firm in San Diego where Catherine was from. He was going on and on about their annual summer trip to Las Vegas. Catherine’s mother rolled her eyes at the very obvious innuendos he dropped about all the wild things that happened on those trips. It made Link a bit sick to his stomach. But then the kicker landed.

“But you’ll get to experience that first hand next year, right, Charles?” Catherine’s father said with a wink.

“I’m sorry, what?” he asked, fork hanging in the air between the plate and his mouth, not being able to cover his obvious confusion.

“Daddy!” Catherine admonished and slapped her father’s hand playfully.

“Oh, I’m sorry, darling. You haven’t told him yet?” he said and grinned before making the universal ‘I’ll keep my mouth shut’ motion with his hand. Link looked at Catherine and frowned.

“Let’s talk about this at home. Okay, honey?” she said sweetly and shook her head at her father disapprovingly.

Link couldn’t have been happier when the dinner ended. They said their goodbyes and were soon sitting in the Uber, in the same heavy silence as before. Catherine only gave the driver Link’s address, so he figured she was coming to stay the night. He tried to feel happy about that.

“Let’s just go straight to bed. I’m exhausted,” Catherine said as they stepped into the apartment. Link had no objections. He felt heavy, like this day had been longer than the whole week before it. It felt like days since he’d been carefree and laughing in Rhett’s living room. Soon, he turned out the lights and slipped between the cool sheets. Catherine followed suit. Link was waiting for a curt “goodnight” but instead, her hand snaked into Link’s boxers. He suppressed a sigh. Her hand worked on his cock and her lips pressed dry kisses onto his neck.

“What was that thing with your father?” Link asked as he was trying to conjure up some kind of erection.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it,” she just said and worked her hand faster.

“It didn’t seem like nothing. Seemed very much like something.” Link was starting to feel really annoyed. Her hand was actually hurting more than bringing pleasure. To Link’s relief, her hand stalled at his words.

“Fine. Ruin it then! It was supposed to be a surprise. Daddy is giving you a position in his company. The pay is great and the benefits are really good too,” Catherine said.

“But…It’s in San Diego?” Link was confused.

“We’re going to move. After we get engaged, of course. You didn’t think we were going to raise a family in Los Angeles?” Catherine was laughing now.

Link felt like slapping her hand away. He felt like screaming. He felt like getting up and marching across the hall. But he pushed those feelings deep inside of him and kissed Catherine on the cheek.

“I guess not. Sounds good.”

It was good. This had been the plan all along, right? A wife, a couple of kids, good job, dinners at the in-laws, some family trips to North Carolina, maybe a trip to Hawaii or somewhere warm once a year. He was getting everything he’d wanted. Catherine purred in his ear and was jerking him off again.

Link’s mind wandered. _A smile hiding under a blond beard, broad shoulders covered in blue paint, those mesmerizing jade eyes, a low laugh._ Suddenly, Link was hard as a rock.

“There you go, honey,” she whispered appreciatively.

 _Large hands on his hips. Scratch of the beard on his inner thighs. Wet heat between his legs._ Link moaned low and needy. She pulled him on top of herself. He closed his eyes as he slipped into her. He tried to block out her mewls. He thought of low growls and heavy sighs. It didn’t take him long to cum hard, panting, thinking about Rhett’s mouth on him.


	5. Clothes Make the Man

On Monday night, Link woke up to incessant knocking. Sleepily, he groped for his glasses and, when he got them on, looked at the time. It was 11:55 p.m. Who on earth could be knocking at this hour? Annoyed at the late night troublemaker, he got out of bed and padded to his apartment door. Whoever it was was still knocking.

“Calm down! I’m coming,” he grumbled as he opened the door. His stomach dropped. Rhett was standing by his door. Well, he wasn’t exactly standing, more leaning against the hallway wall. His hair was a messy nest of curls and Link was pretty sure he had some ketchup on his beard. He also had some new clothes on: a forest green tee under a jean jacket and some deep blue jeans. Link couldn’t help but notice how well the green suited him and wondered if he’d gone shopping. For a second, he felt annoyed; they were supposed to go together. Then he remembered his decision. They weren’t going to be friends.

“Link,” Rhett said. His eyes had widened as the door flew open. His head dipped and his gaze slowly rose from Link’s toes back to his surprised face.

“Sssorry… Were you asleep?”

Link realized he was slurring his words a bit. There was also a tell-tale glazing over his bloodshot eyes. Rhett was drunk. He was drunk and behind Link’s door. Why? Then Link looked down at his pajamas. They had tiny bananas all over them. Suddenly, he felt horribly embarrassed and a tiny bit aggravated.

“Yes. It’s very late. Maybe you should go and sleep off…all of this,” Link said, waving his hand all over Rhett’s disheveled appearance. It came off more snarkily than he’d meant. He wasn’t going to feel bad about it though. Rhett was the one waking him up in the middle of the night. On a weeknight!

“Oh. Yeah. Probably. Sorry again… I didn’t… ” Rhett stumbled over his words. He was looking at Link all sad and pathetic. Link couldn’t help his heart melting a bit. Rhett looked like a lost puppy.

“God, you are a mess,” Link said shaking his head. A tiny smile slipped on his face and he promptly brushed it away. Rhett hung his head and swayed to his door. Link looked with great amusement as he tried to get the key into the lock.

“Oh, for crying out loud. Come here,” Link ordered. Rhett turned and looked at him. He seemed to be having trouble focusing his gaze. It flitted to Link’s lips and then to his pajama pants, before finally settling on Link’s eyes.

“What?” Rhett asked like he’d forgotten why they were standing there.

“Just come on in. I’ll fix you some tea. Let’s get you sobered up a bit,” Link said, voice softened as he eyed the mess of a man compassionately.

Rhett looked like he wasn’t sure if he’d heard Link correctly. When he stood like that, shoulders hunched and looking so lost, he seemed strangely small for such a tall man.

“Come on,” Link coaxed again.This time, Rhett obeyed and stumbled into Link’s apartment. Link guided Rhett to the kitchen by lightly touching his lower back. Rhett’s head whipped around as he took in Link’s apartment. He eyed Link’s record collection but Link didn’t give him a chance to stay and peruse. He sat Rhett down on a bar stool next to the kitchen island and went about fixing the tea. Rhett was leaning his chin into his hands and his gaze followed lazily as Link moved around the kitchen.

“So, did you have fun tonight?” Link asked as the water was boiling. His annoyance had dissipated completely. All he felt was a strange warmth. Rhett was smiling dreamily at him and Link couldn’t help but smile back. 

“It was okay. Stevie is good people. A good friend,” Rhett muttered.

“That’s nice. It’s good to have friends,” Link commented vaguely. He felt a twinge of jealousy. He knew it was silly. Of course Rhett had friends. _Also, we are not going to be friends, so it doesn’t even matter._

“Mm-hmm,” Rhett answered. Link pouring the steaming water into a mug when he saw from the corner of his eye that Rhett’s head was slowly dropping down towards the wooden surface of the island. He put the mug down and rushed to Rhett’s side.

“Gosh. You’re far too gone. Okay, come on. Let’s go.”

Link lifted Rhett’s arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own arm around Rhett’s waist. He hoisted Rhett off the bar stool and led him to the living room. Rhett’s head lolled to Link’s shoulder. His hair was tickling Link’s cheek and Link fought the need to turn and take a whiff of his hair. They stood by the couch for a second as Link realized it was way too short for Rhett. He huffed and dragged Rhett to his bedroom turning off the light from the kitchen on the way there. 

Link’s eyes adapted quickly to the dim light. It was never properly dark in Los Angeles, since no amount of blinds and curtains could totally cancel out the shine of the city. Link tilted Rhett forward and he slumped on the bed. He seemed to be pretty out of it. His grey Vans were already untied so it was easy to slip them off. Link set them neatly by the bed. It took some wrangling but he got Rhett’s jacket off too. His hands hovered over Rhett’s jeans’ waistline for a moment but in the end, he didn’t dare to touch anything else. As Link was pulling the covers over Rhett, he stirred from his drunken sleep.

“Wha- what’s going on?” he stuttered, blinking his eyes slowly. Something about the low light made him even more beautiful than he usually was. Link felt like brushing a few loose curls off of his forehead. He let go of the sheet and let his hands fall by his sides. His fingers twitched needily against his leg but he didn’t let them move closer to Rhett.

“Shhh. Just go back to sleep,” Link whispered.

“Am I in your bed?” Rhett looked around the darkness sounding confused.

“Yeah,” Link said blushing. He was happy about the darkness that concealed his embarrassment. “But I’m gonna go to the couch!” he added quickly.

“No, I can’t take your bed,” Rhett protested and tried to get up but apparently his head spun too much because he fell back into Link’s pillows with a thud and a low groan.

“It’s okay. Just sleep it off. I’ll be fine,” Link insisted and stepped away from the bed.

“No. Link,” Rhett muttered, eyes closing. “At least come sleep here. It’s a big bed.”

Link stopped and stared at Rhett as he drifted off to sleep. He was snoring lightly now, making the tiniest of sounds. The way Rhett looked in his bed, all calm and peaceful like he belonged there, did something to Link. His heart fluttered. Link swallowed uncomfortably. It would be fine. Rhett was right, it was a big bed. Link had to go to work in the morning, so he needed his sleep and the couch would be too short for him as well. Also, Rhett might get sick during the night. He was pretty drunk. Link had to stay here, if not for any other reason but for Rhett’s safety. Link suddenly found himself standing at the other side of the bed. He felt like he’d sleepwalked there. He settled next to Rhett before he could second-guess himself too much. There was lots of space; they weren’t even touching.

Link put his glasses on the nightstand and closed his eyes. Rhett was right there. Link couldn’t feel him, not really, but he felt the mattress slope towards him and it was almost like he could feel the heat coming off of his body too. Link turned his back to him and took one of his extra pillows and tucked it under his arm to snuggle with. It didn’t mean that he wanted to snuggle with Rhett, he just felt like it. Link tried to fall asleep but his thumping heart was making it difficult. Suddenly Rhett turned. The mattress slanted and Link slid against Rhett’s chest. An arm snaked around him and he felt a warm breath tickling on his neck. Link’s breathing caught. He should move. He knew he should. But Rhett was so warm and when Link finally drew a breath, Rhett’s scent enveloped him. Link’s heartbeat slowed down and his body relaxed. Sleep hovered near and Link was just about to let it take him when Rhett moved a bit and mumbled against Link’s skin. 

“I really like you.” 

At least that’s what Link thought he heard. In the morning, he wasn’t so sure anymore. When Link woke up, Rhett was gone. The only evidence of him ever being there were the crumpled sheets at the bottom of the bed and the cold tea mug on the kitchen counter. Link poured the liquid down the drain and stood in the empty kitchen, lost in his thoughts. It had all been very innocent, but if Catherine ever found out how he’d spent last night… It would not be pretty. It was just one of those things, Link decided. What she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her. And there wasn’t really anything to get hurt over anyway. They’d been just sleeping. Totally innocent. 

Link wandered back into the bedroom. He made the bed and stopped to inconspicuously smell the pillow Rhett had used. It smelled faintly of him and Link sat on the bed, pressing the fabric against his face. Why did he smell so good? Maybe Link needed to ask what products he used.

Link’s morning routine was constantly disrupted by his thoughts of Rhett and he almost missed his bus. He was out-of-breath and sweaty when he sat down on one of the last free seats. Rhett could’ve left a note. Or he could’ve waited for the morning and said something. Sneaking out like that was just rude. Link was so lost in his thoughts that he accidentally got off the bus one stop too early. Any other morning, he probably would have waved it off and enjoyed the extra walk but today he was fuming. He walked briskly, with an angry, heavy step scowling at anyone who dared to get in his path. When he finally had the coffee cart in his sights, he noticed that someone was sitting at his spot. He rarely saw anyone there so it piqued his interest. As he walked closer the man sitting by the fountain got up. He was holding two coffee cups and had an awkward smile on his face. Link froze.

“Rhett?”

“Good morning. I got you a coffee. Here,” Rhett said, walked up to Link and offered him the beverage. Link accepted the cup feeling a bit dazed.

“What are you doing here?” he asked tilting his head to look Rhett in the eyes.

“I came to apologize. I woke up early and, to be totally honest, I kind of panicked a bit?” Rhett said. His voice rose at the end of the sentence, like he was asking a question. “I think I might have drunk a bit too much last night and I had only a hazy memory of how I ended up in your place. I just bolted.”

Link sipped his drink and started to walk again. Rhett matched his pace with Link’s and looked at him sheepishly.

“I went home and fell asleep and when I woke up I realized I’d acted like a jackass. You were obviously very courteous and helped my disgustingly drunk ass when you really didn’t have to. And then I just left like that. Like you were a one night stand I was ashamed of. I’m sorry.”

Link was glad he hadn’t taken a sip just then. Otherwise he would have certainly choked on it.

“We didn’t! There was no…” he hurried to say, cheeks painted red with embarrassment.

“Oh! No, I didn’t mean that we did! No. I just meant that…gosh…just that it was very rude to leave like that after you were so nice to me.”

Link should’ve felt relieved but he didn’t. All he could think about now was the idea that maybe for a moment, after Rhett had woken up, he had thought that something had happened between them. That the reason he was in Link’s bed was not because he’d been too drunk to get home, but rather because Link had wanted him to stay there. That there had been touching. _Skin on skin. Whispered words in the darkness. Muscled bodies pressing together. A hushed moan._ Link licked his lips as the familiar heat coiled in his stomach. Link was starting to feel like his boxers were a little bit too crowded. _No, stop it!_

Then a new thought hit him. Could that be why Rhett had come to Link’s door in the first place? On Sunday, there had been that moment on the floor of Rhett’s apartment. It had been nothing really, Link still insisted, but maybe Rhett viewed it differently. Maybe Rhett was thinking there was something developing between them. Could Rhett be into men? Link looked at him surreptitiously from the corner of his eye. How would one go about asking something like that?

“You seeing anyone right now, Rhett?” Link blurted. He stopped dead as the words fell from his lips and stared blindly at his coffee cup. He hadn’t made any conscious effort to say that. The words had just slipped out. _Why on earth did you ask him that? He’s gonna think I’m interested! That’s something you ask if you’re vying for a spot. Do something!_ Rhett hadn’t noticed that Link had stopped. He was still walking, staring straight ahead.

“I just meant…” Link cried out. _What did you mean, you idiot?!_ “That if you were dating someone, we could go on a double date. Catherine and me, and you and…your person. I think that would be nice.”

That was a save, but only barely. Link drew a deep breath and turned his eyes on Rhett, who had finally stopped and was looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. Link plastered an awkward smile on his face and walked up to him.

“No. I’m not seeing anyone right now,” Rhett said almost pointedly.

“Oh, too bad,” Link said trying to sound disappointed. Actually, he was relieved. Not that it mattered to him whether Rhett was seeing anyone or not. But Catherine would have never agreed to an evening out with him after that whole fiasco on Sunday.

“Mm-hm. Too bad. I’m sure it would have been lovely.”

Link glanced at him. He was not positive but it felt like Rhett was being snarky. Nothing on his face indicated that though. He was smiling pleasantly and sipping on his coffee like he had no care in the world. Link frowned. They crossed the street in silence and stopped in front of Link’s office building.

“Thank you for the coffee and the apology. Neither were necessary,” Link said and gave Rhett a small smile. 

“I felt that it was. I’d never want you to think badly of me,” Rhett said quietly. They were standing close to each other. That tended to happen with Rhett. It was like Link’s need for personal space shrank when Rhett was around. He was wearing another new t-shirt. This one was dark gray.

“I see you’ve gone shopping,” Link said, attempting to point at the shirt. He estimated their distance wrong and his finger lightly poked at Rhett’s chest. It was like time stopped. In his head, he moved closer, spreading his fingers, pressing his palm against the soft fabric, bunching it up in his fist, pulling on it to bring Rhett closer. Lips closing in, the scratch of that bread, a soft whimper, then a heated, wet tongue... Link realized with a start that he was slightly panting. 

“Looks good on you,” he said. His voice was raspy. Rhett looked at the finger that was still pressed against him. Link whipped it off and stuck his hand in his pocket for good measure. 

“Oh, no. I borrowed some clothes from work. I still need to go. Might go today actually. Want to come?”

“Yes.” Link’s answer was instant. “I get out of work at five.”

“I’ll meet you then,” Rhett said with a wide smile that reached his eyes. Link sighed audibly as he looked into them. Rhett chuckled and nodded a goodbye before he stepped around Link, lightly brushing their bodies together as he went. Link’s whole body shivered. He turned, almost like Rhett was magnetically pulling on him and looked at the receding figure. Rhett was already far away when Link finally realized what he had agreed to. Apparently, they were going to be friends after all. 

\---

Link was at the sidewalk precisely at five p.m. He was nervous and he wasn’t exactly sure why. During the work hours, he had changed his mind multiple times about showing up for the shopping trip. At half past four he had effectively decided not to be there. He would just figure out an excuse for not showing up. A work emergency would be believable. But when the clock struck 4:58 he got up and took his jacket. He wanted to see Rhett. It was as simple as that. So what, if he had some weird feelings towards him? It was not the first time that had happened and he’d always been able to handle it. He might have to go on that certain website tonight, but that didn’t really mean anything.

Rhett parked his car next to Link at 5:15. As Link got in, he was immediately enthralled by the scent of Rhett that surrounded him in the car.

“I’m not late, am I?” Rhett asked and smiled at Link. Link just hummed a quiet “no, of course not” and sank in his seat.

“Do you use some kind of product on your beard?” Link asked suddenly. Rhett had already pulled back on to traffic and glanced at Link with questioning eyes.

“Umm…yeah. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason,” Link tried to backpedal as he realized how weird the question had sounded.

“You don’t look like you need a recommendation. Unless you plan on growing a beard.”

“No. It doesn’t really suit me.”

“That seems unlikely, but why do you ask?” Rhett still pressed on.

“I…” Link tried to desperately think of an innocent reason for his stupid question. Finally, he resigned and told the truth. “You always smell really nice. Was just wondering what that was.” If a blush could talk, it would have been screaming right now.

“Oh. Thank you,” Rhett said softly. ”It’s a really nice brand. If I remember correctly the scent is sandalwood and citrus. There was something else too, not sure what it was.” 

“Well, it smells really nice.” Link said again. Then he decided that his talking privileges had been suspended until further notice. Apparently, nothing sensible was coming out of his mouth today. It was better to just shut up. Luckily, Rhett was keeping the one-sided conversation going. He was talking about his friend Stevie again. They were going to meet up with him. Link felt relieved and disappointed at the same time. As much as he wanted to be alone with Rhett, it somehow felt safer that there were going to be other people around.

“Her girlfriend is coming too. Haven’t seen her in ages, so that will be nice.”

“Wait,” Link said, forgetting his decision not to speak. “I thought Stevie was a guy?”

“No. Her name is actually Stephanie, but don’t call her that. She might seem small but she packs a mean punch, I guarantee you,” Rhett said, laughing heartily.

“Oh. Okay. good to know,” Link said and looked out the window. They were in a part of town he wasn’t familiar with. Rhett was driving around, obviously looking for a parking spot.

“So, what do you need to buy?” Link asked him.

“Well, I guess basically everything. I was thinking we could go to the Scotch and Soda first,” Rhett answered and cheered loudly as someone ahead of them drove off. Rhett managed to snag the opened spot.

“Really?” Link was surprised. Could he really afford a whole new wardrobe from Scotch and Soda? 

“Well, just for some of the nicer pieces. You know, if I wanted to impress someone,” Rhett said. “We’ll hit up H&M after for some day to day stuff.”

Rhett clearly knew where to go because he took off as soon as Link was out of the car and Link almost had to jog to keep up with him. It was a busy day. There were a lot of people on the sidewalk. Link finally caught up with Rhett and wedged himself between him and the curb. Rhett seemed to notice Link was struggling a bit because he slowed down and made a little room for him. They were still close to each other and as people passed them by Rhett had to dodge them. He kept leaning against Link as he did and more than once their hands brushed together. All of Link’s concentration seemed to be directed to the back of his hand and the light touch of Rhett’s skin that made him tingle all over. 

The store was small and filled with light. Rhett started to browse through the racks. Link walked behind him, trying to get some kind of idea what type of clothes Rhett might like. He seemed to be gravitating towards muted colors and tight fits. Link made a few suggestions that Rhett seemed to like and soon they had a nice pile of clothes for him to try on.

Rhett was about to step into the dressing room when Link saw a lovely, colorful Hawaii shirt. It was cream colored with a palm tree print that was a nice mix of yellow, green, blue and peach. It was cheery but not too flashy.

“Oh, this one too!” Link said excitedly and took one for Rhett. He looked at the shirt and frowned.

“Really?” Rhett asked sounding skeptical.

“What?” Link asked in return. “I really like it. You need some color to balance all that out,” he said, pointing at the pile of dark colors Rhett had in his hands. Rhett’s frown melted into a small smile. He looked at Link’s black and white work clothes and said teasingly, “You know, colorful is not the first word I’d use to describe you.”

“I used to wear a lot of graphic tees that were very colorful,” Link said defensively.

“You used to? Why’d you stop?”

“Oh, Catherine felt like it was time for a more mature wardrobe.”

Rhett’s head whipped up and he looked at Link. He was frowning again.

“Do you always do what she tells you?”

“What?” Link asked. What a rude question.

“She shouldn’t tell you what to wear. And she definitely shouldn't tell you that your name is ridiculous,” Rhett said. He sounded almost…angry. His brows were furrowed and his gaze was intense. Link couldn’t look away. Somehow the lighting of the store made his eyes look almost gray. For a moment, Link forgot to be offended.

“Well?” Rhett said and Link stirred from his reverie.

“Oh. Um. She just wants what’s best for me. I like that she’s opinionated,” Link said. He still felt like being defensive. Rhett’s eyebrows shot up.

“Opinionated. Mm-hm. You do realize that there is a difference between that and being overbearing?”

“You don’t know her! You barely even met her. She is lovely,” Link argued. He was getting angry now too. How dare he? Link’s stomach tightened and his hands balled into fists. He was scowling at Rhett, feeling ready to lash out at him with his words if he kept this up. Rhett’s demeanor suddenly changed. He lifted his free hand up, its palm faced towards Link.

“I’m sorry. That was totally out of line. I’m sure she is very lovely,” Rhett said. He spoke in a low voice and looked genuinely apologetic. Link nodded at him, still seething a bit. His insides were twisting disgustingly. He was with the right person. He had to be. End of story. Link took a deep breath trying to calm himself and said in a conciliatory voice, “Anyway. I think that would suit you nicely. Can you try it at least?”

“Of course.”

Link sat on the stylish armchair as Rhett disappeared behind the curtain. Link could see himself from the huge mirror that was set up next to the dressing rooms. He realized he looked a bit drab. He reminded himself that he was in his work clothes but that didn’t help much. Nowadays, his everyday clothes were pretty much like his work clothes. With a pang, he realized that he really missed his colorful t-shirts. Why shouldn’t he wear them? Rhett had been right. Why had he felt the need to defend Catherine so vehemently? Link turned the question around in his mind and suddenly, it hit him. He hadn’t been mad that Rhett had criticized Catherine, he’d been mad because it had felt like Rhett was judging him. His choice to be with her. Link’s stomach knotted tight. He hadn’t realized how much he craved for Rhett’s approval and the thought that he was doing something that Rhett frowned upon was killing him.

“What do you think?” Rhett’s voice startled Link. He jerked in his seat and lifted his gaze to Rhett. He had stepped out with a black, slim fitted, denim button down and some black skinny jeans. Link’s heart skipped a beat. He looked taller and somehow menacing but in a completely breathtaking way. Even the salesperson dropped the shirt that she had been folding and let out a small ‘oh’ sound before stepping closer and complimenting Rhett’s choices. Rhett was still looking at Link though. His back was to him, but their eyes met in the mirror. Link felt a heat rising on his neck.

“It looks good. You should get it,” he managed to get out.

Rhett smiled at him and turned sideways to look at himself from another angle. From this viewpoint, Link could see the slight dip of his lower back and his cute little rump nestled in the jeans. Link’s heartbeat sped up and he was sure he was sweating visibly.

“Really?” Rhett asked for confirmation and Link happily gave it. 

“Yeah. Definitely. Looks great.”

Suddenly, Rhett dashed back into the dressing room and Link was left alone with the saleswoman. She leaned over to Link.

“Wow. Hold onto that one.”

Link looked at her, eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

“We’re not together,” he hissed at the woman who was already moving back towards her folding. She turned, smirked and winked knowingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you sassandpanache! You know how much I struggled with certain bits of this chapter and you were very patient and helpful. I won't settle for anything less than 35 %. You know what I'm talking about! <3


	6. Sleep Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small author’s note: there is a point in this chapter where Link describes his desire to watch gay porn as a kink. I am in no way trying to allude that homosexuality is not real or that it okay to fetishize homosexual relationships or sex. This is literally based on how I felt about w/w porn before I came out to myself as bi. So, blame my weird brain. Sorry.

It was a Monday night again. Link had just knocked on Rhett’s door and Rhett opened it with a wide smile on his face. Link tried to push down the thoughts that attacked him as soon as Rhett’s face appeared in his line of sight. _He’s so gorgeous. It’s almost unfair. Just want to touch his beard. Just a little pet. God, those eyes. Have they turned greener somehow?_

“Hey! I made tortellinis!” Rhett exclaimed excitedly. Link laughed at his enthusiasm and stepped in trying to clear his head. _Think friendly thoughts goddamn it!_

After the whole shopping fiasco – Link still couldn’t believe they’d been mistaken for a couple – Link had tried hard to keep Rhett at arm’s length. But all his attempts at distancing himself from his tall neighbor had failed. Rhett constantly sneaked back into Link’s life and eventually Link just gave up. They were obviously supposed to be friends. Why fight it? They’d started to hang out almost daily. Sometimes Rhett gave Link a ride to work and they had coffee at the park. Other days, they watched shows or listened to records at Link’s place. After Rhett was horrified to find out that Link barely ever had home cooked meals, he instituted mandatory Monday night dinners. So, over the last three months, Monday nights had morphed into “Rhett’s experimentative kitchen” nights. And Link was more than happy to be his guinea pig.

“Sounds great. I brought some red wine,” Link said and offered the bottle to Rhett. He took it and looked at the label appreciatively.

“Good choice. Come on.”

The table was set up in the kitchen. Rhett liked to go all out on Mondays. He had some pretty table linens and candles and an actual centerpiece with flowers. He used his good plates and the wine glasses were crystal. Other nights, they just had takeout straight from the boxes so Link really appreciated Rhett going all out on their special nights. Link sat at the table. Rhett portioned the food and set a plate in front of Link. Then he pulled the apron off of him and with a thud sat across from Link. The food smelled amazing and Link said that aloud to Rhett. Rhett blushed faintly.

“Thanks. Let’s hope it tastes good too.”

For a little while, they sat in comfortable silence. There was only the clink of the cutlery and some appreciative murmurs. Then Link took a napkin, wiped his mouth and took the wine glass in his hand. He glanced at Rhett.

“I got the project.”

Rhett’s fork stopped midair. He lifted his widened eyes off the plate. Link took a sip of the wine and tried to look neutral but just couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Rhett’s fork clanked on the plate and he jumped up and strode around the table. Link laughed giddily as Rhett pulled him up from the chair and wrapped him in a warm bear hug. Link buried his face onto Rhett’s chest and let himself enjoy the acceptable form of closeness with him.

“I knew it! Didn’t I say you would? Goddamn it! That’s amazing, Link. I’m so proud of you,” Rhett was gushing.

Link felt warm all over and his heart was thrumming like a hummingbird. The happiness over getting the project was only a blip on the radar compared to how Rhett’s excitement made him feel. Rhett pushed Link at arm’s length holding onto his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. Rhett’s expression made Link’s stomach flip. He looked – Link tried to find the right word for the shine in Rhett’s eyes – infatuated. Link blushed and shook himself out of Rhett’s gentle grip. Rhett’s hands dropped immediately and he turned quickly to return to his seat. Link was sure he caught a glimpse of a sheepish smile. Little things like this had been happening more and more recently. Link knew they would have to have a conversation about it at some point. He didn’t really want to. He liked the status quo and had no desire to mess this up.

There was the impending move, too. Link had not told Rhett about San Diego yet. He was a bit afraid of Rhett’s reaction. They rarely talked about Catherine or Link’s relationship with her. And they definitely never hung out together. Catherine had accepted Link’s friendship with Rhett begrudgingly after some heated words were exchanged. Link was sure it was only because she knew they’d be moving some time during the following year. The idea of leaving Los Angeles made Link ache in a way he never would have imagined when he moved here. He’d grown to love this city. He didn’t want to leave. But he got Catherine’s point. Of course she wanted to be closer to her family as she started her own.

“Big boss Neal. Sounds good to me,” Rhett’s voice pulled Link out of his thoughts. Link snorted.

“That’s a bit of an exaggeration. I’ll only have three subordinates and the project only lasts three months. Then I’m back where I started.”

“You never know. Maybe they’re doing this to see if you could be given more responsibilities. You’re gonna wow them and soon you’ll have your own corner office and a pretty secretary,” Rhett said winking at Link. Link rolled his eyes at him and stuck some pasta into his mouth.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to call them secretaries anymore,” he mumbled, mouth filled with buttery goodness. Rhett waved his hand dismissively.

“Executive assistant, drink slave – po-ta-to, po-tah-toh.”

“Rhett!” Link admonished laughing. Rhett smirked at him.

“Maybe I’ll quit my job and apply to be your _assistant_.”

It was obviously said as a joke but the way Rhett said the word made Link’s insides turn to a hot soup of lava. Immediately his head filled with images of Rhett kneeling in front of him, between his desk and his office chair, blond curls bouncing as his head bobbed up and down. Link almost groaned aloud, the image was so sharp and visceral. Link dropped his gaze to his plate and tried to get the image out of his head. Rhett was still talking, but Link had no idea what was said. He was suddenly rock hard and all his mental acuity went to trying to think of anything and everything that would get him wound down.

“Link?” Rhett said. Link had a hazy notion that he was repeating himself, but he could not be certain. “Are you not feeling well? You look a bit – sick?” Rhett asked sounding worried. Link shot up, holding the napkin over his lap.

“Oh, umm. Stomach cramp. Sorry. I’ll be right back,” he said before dashing for the bathroom. Link locked the door and grabbed the edges of the sink. He breathed deep and tried to clear his head. He felt confused and embarrassed. He’d been doing so well for the past few months. He barely ever had fantasies about Rhett anymore. Well, he dreamt of him now and then, but he couldn’t really help that. He’d been able to bury his feelings deep inside his mind and he felt so secure in their friendship that he’d been sure all the confusion was over. Now the feelings seemed to be surfacing with a vengeance. His erection showed no signs of going soft. Link bit his lip and touched himself slowly. His palm brushed up his length and he let out a ragged breath. Goddamn it, he really needed to cum. He glanced at the door. _If I’m real quick…_

Link was swept away by his lust. He didn’t even really consider that the walls were thin and Rhett was right there on the other side. All he felt was his throbbing need. It didn’t really help that he was basically submerged in the scent of Rhett. The bathroom air was a sweet mess of all the products he used: the lavender shampoo and the woodsy beard oil and something else Link couldn’t identify. He really had been a goner as soon as he’d set his foot inside this den of smells. His pants dropped to his knees and he yanked on his boxers to free his cock. He was instantly dripping over his fingers and a low moan rose from his throat. He spat on his hand for good measure. There probably would have been lotion or something in one of the cabinets but Link had no time to go searching. He needed this. Right-the-fuck-now. Link backed up so that his back was against the bathroom wall and he clamped his other hand over his mouth. He did his best to dampen the sounds he couldn’t help making as his hand stroked his swollen cock. At least it wouldn’t take long. He was on the edge already. He closed his eyes and drew in a breath that made his head spin.

A clattering of plates sounded from the kitchen. Rhett was cleaning up. The horrifying hilarity of the situation hit Link like a slap on the face. His stomach coiled and his hand moved faster. There he was, jerking in the bathroom of his neighbor, imagining his mouth on his cock, as the man himself washed dishes in the other room. Link felt depraved and dirty. And that just made the pleasure he felt increase by tenfold. God, he was close. He thought of Rhett suddenly opening the door. He thought of him smirking. He thought of him pressing against Link. He thought Rhett throwing him over the washing machine. He thought of Rhett spreading him and pushing into him with a grunt. Link came hard. He couldn’t help the desperate groan that released from his throat as his seed released on the bathroom floor. He could only hope Rhett couldn’t hear him over the clinking dishes.

Link’s high dissipated quickly. All that was left behind was a deep shame. What the hell was wrong with him?! He cleaned up after himself, getting on his hands and knees on the bathroom floor and scrubbing his mess with toilet paper. The embarrassment it made him feel was fitting. He deserved to be punished for this. This was not normal behavior. Link was actually starting to feel a bit sick to his stomach. At least he wasn’t lying when he said to Rhett he was not feeling well and that he had to cut their night short. Rhett looked very worried when Link got out of the bathroom. He was asking about the possibility of it being food poisoning. Link tried to assure him that that was not the case. He avoided Rhett’s gaze and quickly slinked out the door throwing apologies as he went. He felt horrible.

Link called Catherine, hoping she might be able to come spend the night. He needed some normalcy. He needed to forget about what had happened and stop thinking about Rhett. She sounded pleased that Link was asking but said she couldn’t come. Something about a work project she had to get done for tomorrow. Link wished her good night and put the phone down feeling dejected. He sat on the couch and turned the TV on. He couldn’t decide on a channel, everything felt like nonsense. His head was filled with Rhett. He finally left the TV on a cooking show and watched it with unseeing eyes until it was time to go to bed.

He laid in his sheets feeling confused and aching for someone to touch him. He needed that grounding feeling that only another body next to him would give. His mind wandered to that night months ago when Rhett had stumbled into his apartment drunk. He remembered how Rhett’s body had felt against him. He missed it desperately. A part of him seriously entertained the idea of getting up and going to knock on Rhett’s door. But once the idea had been thought up, it was almost impossible to get rid of it. He shifted on the bed, restless and totally awake. Minutes turned to hours. The hours he could spend sleeping dwindled. Soon he’d have to get up.

Link needed something to make his mind go still, even for a little bit. He knew just the thing, but he was hesitant to do it. He hadn’t done it in ages. Even before he met Rhett, he tried not to do it too often. It gave him a bit of anxiety, like he really shouldn’t like it so much. Logically, he knew there was nothing wrong about it. They were consenting adults and the stuff he watched wasn’t even that kinky. For the longest time he’d brushed it off quite easily. Some people wanted to watch people dressed in leather whipping each other, others liked seeing people pee on each other and others liked to see barely legal girls dressed in school uniforms. Everyone had their kinks. Link’s just happened to be watching men fuck each other. It didn’t mean he was gay. Right? Nowadays, Link wasn’t so sure anymore. Not after he’d met Rhett. He hadn’t been to the sites once since they’d met. It felt too dangerous. Like if he went, something irreversible might happen.

But when one more hour rolled around with sleep still eluding him, he felt like he had no choice. Just a quick peek. A video or two and a quick release of pent up energy. Then surely he would get some sleep. He sat up and grabbed his laptop. He opened an incognito window. Just the look of the dark grey edges of the open window made his cock instantly start to swell. It was like a Pavlovian response. He stared at the Google search bar, fingers hovering over the laptop. He breathed deep and enjoyed the feeling of anticipation that filled him. God, he’d missed this. He typed in a site name and pressed enter. When the first thumbnails loaded, he was already painfully hard. Link bit his lip and slowly scrolled down the site looking for something that would pique his interest. It had been so long he almost felt like he wanted something special.

After some consideration, he changed to a site that was behind a paywall. _Why the hell not?! Since I’m doing this, let’s get the good shit._ Link took out his credit card, chose a video and typed in his info for payment. He felt a rush when the payment went through. Link propped the laptop on a pillow between his legs and with a hip wiggle slipped out of his boxers. He dug up the lube from his bedside table and squirted some on himself. He closed his eyes and stroked himself for a few times to spread the slickness all over. It felt so damn good. Link moaned quietly, just to get himself more into the mood. Not that he needed it, but it felt nice. His stomach was tightly coiled, and his skin was sensitive and tingly. His fingers brushed lightly at one of his nipples and he groaned. Why was this the thing that made him feel most alive, he wondered absentmindedly as he pressed play on the video.

It was a good one. The guy bottoming actually kind of looked like Link. He had no trouble imagining himself in his place. All the thoughts about quick and dirty had been forgotten. Link wanted this to last. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed this. His hand was wrapped around his cock, but he wasn’t moving it. He was just watching and enjoying. Once in a while, he moved his hand in a torturously slow pull all the way from the root to the tip and back down. He shivered every time and whined loudly. Another man stepped into the scene. Link hadn’t really paid attention to the plot, something about a house guest maybe. He wasn’t sure. They showed him from the back first, as he slowly stripped. Tall guy, with dirty blond hair. Link’s heartbeat quickened and his grip tightened. The man’s shoulders were broad and – Link stared at the screen jaw hanging slack. It couldn’t be. He had to be delirious with lust. The guy dropped his trousers and revealed a tight, small ass and long muscled legs. Link felt faint. _Turn, goddamn it!_

The camera panned around him. He was holding onto his thick, throbbing cock that made Link’s mouth instantly water. Link’s eyes finally stopped on the man’s face.

It was Rhett.


	7. Boiling Over

The scene was paused on Link’s laptop. He sat on the bed, his hard, lubed up cock in hand and stared at the screen. _I must be dreaming. I must have fallen asleep after all and this is just a weird sex dream._ He thought that but didn’t really believe it. It was without a doubt Rhett on the screen. Link’s gaze swept over his figure. The line of his shoulder was familiar. So was the swoop in his hair. And Link would recognize those jade green eyes anywhere. But there was more: more skin, more _parts_ , more of Rhett than Link had ever seen before. And his expression was different. His eyes were hooded and his lips were crooked into a smirk but not a playful one, not one Link recognized. Instead, it was full of all the dirty things he was about to do to the man laying on the bed in front of him.

Link clicked on the names under the video until he hit the right one and a catalogue of Rhett’s movies popped up. Well, not Rhett’s. Apparently his name was Jackson Woodley. Link instantly recognized a few titles on the list. Suddenly, it clicked. Gears spun in Link’s head and he finally came to the realization he should have come to ages ago. This was why he’d felt like he knew Rhett when they first met. His grip of himself finally loosened. He remembered everything. The smirk, the wink from the elevator. Rhett had known all along. It was like a punch to the gut. _All this time. He’s known. He’s laughed at me. What is he playing at? What am I? Some kind of a joke to him?_ The anger and hurt was so acute Link was almost crushed by it.

Link was up and yanking on his sweatpants faster than his brain could process. He didn’t care that it was three in the morning. He didn’t care he wasn’t in his right mind. He didn’t care that he couldn’t find a shirt in his angered state. He just didn’t care. He was out of his apartment and banging on Rhett’s door in mere seconds. Another door opened along their hallway. A head poked out.

“Go back inside, Mrs. Rodriguez!” Link growled and the door closed after some foreign curse words were thrown Link’s way. He knew he was making a scene. He didn’t care.

Finally, the door swung open. Rhett was standing behind it, wearing only his boxers. His eyes were sleepy and his hair was messy. When he saw Link, his eyes opened wide.

“Link? What’s wrong?!”

Link planted a hand on his chest and pushed them inside. The door slammed shut behind him. They stood toe to toe in the foyer. Link was bristling with anger.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me – Jackson!”

There was a moment of silence before Rhett seemed to process what Link was saying. When he did, his face fell.

“Link, I’m so-”

“No!” Link was pointing at Rhett as he interrupted him. “You don’t get to say you’re sorry. I know you’re not.” He poked Rhett in the chest to emphasize his words. Rhett stepped back with every pointed touch and Link stepped with him until they found themselves in the dim living room.

“Link, please –” Rhett started, but Link wasn’t having any of it.

“No! You lied to me. You-you-…” Link was having trouble finding the words for the flood of emotions he was experiencing. “I don’t even know what I’m saying! Why, Rhett? Huh? Why would you do that? I thought we were friends! I thought I could trust you!”

“I wasn’t lying. I’ve never lied to you,” Rhett was saying now. His voice was strained and his words were mincing with Link’s; they were talking over each other. Link huffed and rolled his eyes at Rhett.

“Don’t even try that. Yeah, yeah. You didn’t outright lie because I never thought to ask you: ‘Oh, by the way, Rhett, that film job of yours? Does it happen to include fucking other men?’ A lie by omission is still a lie!”

“Don’t talk about my work in that tone of voice. There is nothing wrong about being in adult entertainment,” Rhett said. His voice was rising a bit now too and had a slight edge. He looked at Link with furrowed brows and crossed his arms over his chest. Link threw his hands in the air, annoyed that Rhett could even think that he was judging his profession.

“I don’t care about that. I have nothing against porn or people who work in it! I have a problem with you! You knew I’d seen you. I remember how you looked at me! That goddamn smirk of yours.” 

“Yeah. I thought you might have, but, Link, I wasn’t trying to – “

“You weren’t trying to do what, Rhett? Hmm? I bet you were so pleased with yourself. It must have been so much fun laughing at me. I bet you told all your friends too!” Link was seething. He put on a mock voice and continued: “Poor Linkypoo, crushing on his neighbor and not even realizing it’s all because he’s seen him balls deep in other men.”

It was like he’d slapped Rhett. Rhett jerked back and his mouth fell open. He was looking at Link, eyes wide and breathing heavy.

“You were…” Rhett whispered, swallowed and continued. “You were crushing on me?”

But Link wasn’t listening to him. He was so far deep in his fury that he forgot what he was saying. When words betrayed him, he just planted his hands on Rhett’s chest and pushed him in desperation. Rhett stumbled and fell on the couch. Link just wanted to scream. He wanted to throw things. He wanted to hit something – or someone. Link drew a deep breath. He’d never wanted to hit anyone before. He wasn’t that kind of a person. He felt angry about that as well. _This is all Rhett’s fault._

Rhett was still staring at Link with eyebrows raised, a small smile tugging at his lips. It was driving Link insane.

“Stop smiling!” he growled, his hands curling into fists.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it,” Rhett’s voice was small.

“Still laughing at me? Ha! Figures. You really are a piece of work,” Link hissed at him as tears sprang to his eyes. From anger or sadness, he wasn’t sure. _I thought he was my friend. I cared about him. I thought he cared about me too._

Rhett’s smile disappeared and for a moment, Link felt vindicated. But Rhett was looking up at Link with pleading eyes now.

“No, Link. I’m not laughing at you. I was never laughing at you. I’m smiling because I’m happy.”

“What?!” Link spat out. He felt nauseous. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How twisted could Rhett be? How could Rhett think so little of him?

“I’m happy because I – I like you, too,” Rhett said, his voice barely audible. 

Link froze. _He what?!_

Rhett’s cheeks had flushed crimson and his eyes glimmered in the low light. He looked like a Greek god with his toned, tanned muscles and sweeping hair. Link’s stomach coiled with heat as an image of Rhett’s erect cock filled his mind. His gaze flitted to Rhett’s boxers. He knew now what they were hiding. 

Something snapped in Link’s mind. There was a rush of movement. Rhett huffed in surprise as Link crashed against him. Link was in Rhett’s lap, straddling him. His hands were in Rhett’s hair, tugging him closer and Rhett let out a yelp. Link smashed his lips against Rhett’s. The kiss was not planned, it just burst out of him. They both had dry lips and, mindlessly, Link slipped out his tongue and licked them both nice and wet. Rhett let out a low groan. They sank into the kiss.

It was like a jump from the tallest of dive towers. Link ran and leapt off the edge; he didn’t think. The springboard reverberated behind him, the air whooshed against his ears as he fell fast and hard. He dove head first into the deep. Rhett was so soft and warm. His mouth opened eagerly and his tongue brushed against Link’s as if in a greeting. Link explored his mouth and his stomach coiled tighter and tighter. The scratch of his beard was unfamiliar but welcome. It was like coming home. This was everything Link had ever wanted.

The malleability of Rhett’s mouth and the prickle of his beard mixed into a sensation of pure pleasure in Link’s mind. _This is it. This is the reason people obsess about sex._ The realization happened somewhere deep in Link’s mind. It flitted into his consciousness but he gently pushed it away. He wasn’t ready for it yet. But what he was ready for was for Rhett to touch him. Rhett’s hands were still sprawled to his sides, grabbing onto the couch cushions. Besides his lips, he hadn’t moved at all. 

“Touch me,” Link demanded against Rhett’s lips before sinking back into the kiss. Rhett’s hands were on him in an instant. His big and capable hands. Link had never felt anything like that before. He’d never felt small in someone’s arms. It was like a drug. He was instantly intoxicated. Link wanted more. Rhett pressed them together. His other arm was wrapped around Link’s waist and the other was lightly touching the base of his skull. Link whimpered. His hips moved involuntarily. He shouldn’t have been surprised to feel Rhett’s hardness against his own, but he still was. _He likes me. He wants me._ The realization was like an electric shock. Link’s back arched and he pressed against Rhett seeking more pressure.

Rhett’s hands moved. They slipped under the waistline of Link’s sweatpants, of his boxers. Rhett’s palms pressed against Link’s bare ass and he squeezed. Link’s mouth opened and he gasped for air. Rhett used the opportunity to suck Link’s bottom lip into his mouth and nibble on it. Link pulled away and did the same to Rhett just to see what it would feel like. Rhett’s breath was warm on him and Link devoured the moan that was given to him.

Rhett pulled him closer. It felt like every inch of Link was touching him, but it still wasn’t enough. He needed more. Link had never felt like this. He’d never felt this kind of hunger for another person. He wanted to consume and be consumed. He wanted to be one. No longer Rhett and Link, but something new, something more. 

Link’s hand pushed between them. His fingers slipped under Rhett’s boxers and came in contact with the head of Rhett’s cock. Link shivered in tandem with Rhett. “Fuck,” he breathed and swallowed hard. The need to touch him was overwhelming. As Link’s fingertips swept the moistened tip of Rhett’s cock, Rhett breathed out a needy moan and whimpered, “Link.”

Hearing his name aloud did something to Link. In an instant, he was sucked out of his lust spiral. He was up and backing away in seconds. Rhett was still on the couch. Body taut and chest heaving, hair messed up by Link’s wandering hands and his reddened, leaking cock peeking from his boxers. The image burned into Link’s mind. He slapped a hand over his mouth to stop the sob that was breaking out of him. Rhett’s eyes widened in shock and worry.

“Link? What…? ” he managed to get out.

“I – I ’m so-sorry,” Link stammered and scrambled away. He heard Rhett getting up, heavy steps after him as he stumbled out the door and into his own apartment. Link turned to close his door and caught a glimpse of Rhett in the hallway. His hand was lifted in a silent plea and his eyes shimmered with a film of tears. Rhett’s mouth opened but Link didn’t hear what he had to say. He shut Rhett out with a desperate slam of the door. Link ran for the bedroom, shutting that door too in an effort to create more barriers between them. He buried himself into his covers. His sobs shook the bed. 

_What the hell is wrong with me?_


	8. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind the tags, lovelies. <3

Link was standing in front of a jewelry display. The sales assistant had been showing him different types of rings for what seemed like ages. Link felt overwhelmed by the variety.

“These rose gold ones are quite beautiful and well-liked right now. Any of these catch your eye?” the woman asked with an edge of exasperation. Link felt bad. She probably would have been able to make at least three sales in the time it took Link to figure out what to buy. How the heck was he supposed to know which one to get?! He wasn’t the one who had to wear it. He was kicking himself for not asking Catherine what kind of rings she liked. He tried to wrack his brain but couldn’t even remember if she usually wore jewelry. Probably not. He would remember if she did, right? Maybe he should just choose one at random and hope for the best.

“Um… this one is pretty,” Link said pointing at the one closest to him.

“Oh yes. That’s a lovely choice. The stone is actually a morganite which very popular right now as a diamond-alternative…”

“Oh, no. It has to be a real diamond,” Link interrupted. That much he knew for certain. The idea of explaining to Catherine about something called diamond-alternative made shivers run down Link’s spine. He could vividly imagine Catherine’s freezing gaze. The smile on the sales woman's face tightened slightly. She quickly pointed at another ring that was quite similar to the one Link had chosen.

“How about this one? It has a one carat diamond with an oval cut and…”

“Yeah, that’s the one. Bag it up,” Link interrupted her. She nodded and Link was almost certain he heard a relieved sigh as she turned to look for a ring box from a drawer. Link took out his wallet and realized he hadn’t even asked how much the ring cost. The sales assistant rang it up, and Link swallowed uncomfortably. It was more than two month’s salary. He gave her his credit card and tried to feel happy about it. It was fine to splurge on this. It was a symbol of their future together. As the woman handed him the card back with the little paper bag, Link coughed.

“So, is there an exchange policy or something like that…? Just in case she’d prefer…” Link could feel his cheeks flushing. The sales assistant’s face softened, and she smiled sympathetically at him.

“Exchange to a similar price range is possible and modifications to the size are already included in the price.”

“Okay. Good.” Link sighed.

“Good luck,” she said, still smiling warmly.

“Yeah… um… Thanks.”

Link stepped out of the shop and into the busy street. The bag felt strangely heavy in his hand. He walked to the bus stop and got his phone out of his pocket to check the time. Two new messages. Link swiped the notification away. He still hadn’t read any of Rhett’s messages. He couldn’t bring himself to open them. The notifications showed the beginning of them. There had been a lot starting with “Please..” and “I’m sorry..” and “Talk to m…”. Link tried to shut them out of his mind. He tried to shut Rhett out of his mind.

He hadn’t gone to work yesterday or today. He’d called in sick. _I’m already a cheater, what’s truancy compared to that?_ He couldn’t imagine sitting at his desk feeling like this.

The ring helped a bit. It was something concrete. Something Link could touch that reminded him of his plan. The thing with Rhett was not real. No one makes good decisions after three a.m. and finding Rhett on that site had obviously messed with Link’s mind. He’d gotten his wires crossed.

_Rhett’s warm breath against my lips. That small sound from his throat when I kissed him…_

Link shook his head to get rid of the memory. Ever since it happened, he’d been haunted by their encounter. First, his brain kept playing it from start to finish, over and over and over again. He’d finally managed to end the cycle but little pieces of the night kept surfacing when he least expected them.

_Like how soft Rhett’s palm felt on my skin. He has to be using hand lotion regularly – probably for professional courtesy..._

Link frowned at himself and took the phone out again to call Catherine.

“Hey! I was just thinking about you,” she greeted with almost a purr. Link jolted at the sound. His stomach tightened uncomfortably. It must be the remorse.

“Hi. Are we still on for Thursday?” he asked trying very hard to sound normal.

“Of course. I already made our usual reservation.” 

“Actually, would you mind cancelling that? I have something else in mind. Something more special,” Link said, hoping that his voice would sound enticing enough. Catherine was not good with last minute changes. Link hoped that this time the end result would make up for it. Still, he was waiting for her to protest.

“Oh,” Catherine breathed. “I’m intrigued. Okay. I’ll cancel. Text me the time?” Link could hear the smile in her voice.

“I will,” he said with a relieved smile. He had been sure he’d need to do more persuading.

“I can’t wait, honey.”

“Me neither.” Link was telling the truth. He just wanted to get this over with and get the rest of their lives started. Suddenly, San Diego seemed like a perfectly good idea. Link needed to get out of L.A.

Link ended the call, flicked with his thumb a few times and almost pressed the green button. He froze at the last second and just sat still, staring at his phone. He’d almost called Rhett. It had been instinctive. Even though he’d only known him for a few months, he was the person Link wanted to call when he had news. And proposing was big news. Link quickly went back to the home screen and pocketed his phone. He’d get new friends in San Diego.

He got on the bus and sat in a seat staring at the little paper bag in his lap. _I want this. Right?_

\---

When Link got to his door – after basically running down the hall, fearing to see Rhett’s door open – there was a small, white envelope propped up against it. Link picked it up and turned it over. His name was scribbled on it. _Link._

Link stepped into his apartment, dropped the paper bag on the side table with his keys and sat on the couch with the envelope. Link didn’t need to open it to know it was from Rhett. The letters that made up his name were shaky and Link wondered what Rhett had been feeling when he wrote them. Was he sorry for what had happened? Sad ? Angry? Frustrated? Maybe he was writing to accuse Link of forcing himself on him. Maybe he hadn’t wanted any of it. Maybe he was filing a police report right at this moment.

_Maybe he is writing to tell me he loves me._

Link’s stomach twisted at the thought and he forced a laugh to chase it away. Ridiculous. He shook his head and got up with a hollow chuckle. He walked to the kitchen and was about to throw the envelope in the trash but something stopped him. He looked at the shaky letters and his heart ached. In the end, he just slipped it between some records, hoping to forget all about it and went to order some dinner. As he waited for the food to be delivered, he picked a restaurant and made a reservation for Thursday. He was going to get engaged and start a proper family. The last three months was just a weird blip on the radar that he could easily forget.

\---

_“You want this?” Rhett’s voice drawled, low and enticing. He was standing above Link, naked and hard, slowly stroking his dripping cock. Link was hot all over, cheeks flushing crimson, belly filled with tight heat. He was laying in his bed, feeling vulnerable in his nakedness. “Yeah. I want it. Want you. Please,” Link was whining. Rhett laughed once, a sound so deep and throaty it made Link shiver. Rhett climbed on top of him, pushing Link’s legs roughly apart with his knee. Link reached desperately for him. Rhett’s hands grabbed his wrists and pinned his them above his head. Link whimpered and his hips rose from the bed. “You gonna be a good little slut for me?” Rhett muttered against Link’s neck, near his ear. Link bucked in desperation. He was gonna cum just from his words. ”Fuuuuck. Yes, please. I’ll be good. Take me, Rhett please. I need you so bad.” Wet tongue licking up his neck, circling towards his jaw line, looking for his mouth. “Rhett, please-please-please,” Link was murmuring under his breath, turning his head, looking for his lips, yearning for a kiss. Suddenly, the bed was empty. Link jumped up in panic, searching for him. An incorporeal sneer floated from the edge of the dream “You think you deserve me? Cheating scum. Disgusting. Disgrace. You’re not worthy of the real me. Go watch me fuck someone else. That’s all you’re ever gonna get.” Someone was laughing. Not Rhett. Someone more sinister. A sob rose from Link’s chest._

Link woke up crying. He sobbed into his pillow and curled up in a ball. He was breathing quickly and raggedly. It was like his lungs wouldn’t fill like they should; like he was choking. He breathed quicker, panicked, trying to get more air in. _Breathebreathebreathe. Something is wrong. Can you die from just crying? I’m sure you can. I feel like I am. This is it. I’ll die alone in my bed. A cheat and a liar. I can’t breathe._ Pure terror gripped him. Without thinking, he scrambled for his phone and instinctively called the person he needed the most. It kept ringing and ringing. He was just about to give up when the call connected and a gruff voice said, “What?”

“Rhett – I need… help. Can you… I’m…sorry. Please come,” Link was sobbing into the phone, trying to get the words out between wheezing breaths, most of them unintelligible. The line went dead. Rhett had disconnected the call. Link wailed in his hands. How stupid had he been to call him?

He didn’t hear the front door. Suddenly, Rhett was just there, standing tall at his bedroom door. He still had Link’s spare key in his hand and he was breathing heavy. He was wearing a black tee and grey sweatpants. His hair was a tangled mess and his eyes were wide and wild.

“Link?! What’s wrong?”

Link raised his trembling arms and, feeling like he was at the edge of consciousness, rasped. “I can’t – breathe.”

Rhett was next to him in an instant. He gathered Link in his long arms and brought him against his chest. Link grabbed his shirt and pressed against Rhett, wetting the cotton with his tears and snot. Rhett rocked them gently and pressed his own cheek on the top of Link’s head.

“You’re hyperventilating. You’re gonna be fine, darlin’. Listen to my breathing. Try to breathe with me,” Rhett was whispering to him. His voice was shaky but warm.

“Rhett, I’m…” Link tried to say. _I’m dying._

“Shhhhh. Just listen to me. We’re gonna breathe together. Okay? In – hold – and out. Come on, Link. Do it with me. In – hold – out. Good. Just like that. You can do it.”

Link knew it wouldn’t matter. The chilly dread in him told he was gone already. But he still listened to Rhett. He had to; Rhett’s voice was like magic. Link breathed with him. Link trembled in his arms and pressed closer to his chest, but he breathed. As his breathing slowly settled back to normal, he realized he could hear Rhett’s heart thumping steadily under his ribcage. The sound of it brought him back to reality. He was not dying. He was just here. In Rhett’s arms. Breathing with him. Alive.

“There you go. That’s better. Do you feel better?” Rhett’s large palm was slowly caressing Link’s back.  
Link shivered at the touch. Suddenly, he felt foolish. The terror had left him tired and sad.

“I’m a bad person,” Link muttered against Rhett’s shirt. The tears were still flowing, rolling slowly down his cheeks.

“Oh, no. You’re not. You’re just confused. That’s perfectly okay.”

“No. I think I’m broken,” Link said, his voice cracking at the last word. Rhett made a sympathetic sound and hugged him tighter.

“You’re not broken,” Rhett said with determination. Link just shook his head and sniffled. He knew he was. 

“Have you thought about talking about this with someone?” Rhett asked after a moment of silence. Link’s head whipped up.

“You mean, like Catherine? I’m not gonna tell her! She would never –” Link was babbling in alarm at the thought.

“No, no!” Rhett interrupted him quickly. “I meant like a professional. A therapist. You obviously have some stuff you need to figure out.”

“Oh.” Link let his head fall back down. He was so tired. “I haven’t really thought about that.”

“Maybe you should?”

“Maybe.”

Silence fell between them. Link was waiting for Rhett to press the issue, but he didn’t. He just kept petting Link gently. Link’s eyes slowly flitted closed. He was so tired.

“You wanna get back to sleep?” Rhett asked, like he’d read Link’s mind. Link nodded against him and yawned as if on cue. Rhett settled his head gently on the pillow and wiped away the last of the tears. He brushed Link’s hair off his forehead and scooted towards the edge. Link’s hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist. Link opened one eye. Rhett was looking down at him with soft eyes, head tilted to the side.

“Can you stay?” Link’s voice was small. Rhett drew a deep breath, looked far into the distance and then back to Link.

“Okay.”

Rhett laid down next to him and lifted his arm so Link could crawl against his side. They wrapped around each other and Link laid his head on Rhett’s chest. Link melted into him and instantly got drunk on his scent. _This is where I feel safe. This is where I feel like me. Why is that?_ The thoughts flitted away as quickly as they’d come.

“Thank you,” Link muttered. He was on the edge of sleep already, falling fast. He wasn’t sure but he thought he felt a ghost of a kiss on top of his head and a quiet. “G’night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An uncomfortably long hug to my love, beta extraordinaire and dear friend sassandpanache for listening me lose my mind over this fic, helping me figure out the plot and of course, for correcting my typos and such. I love you! <3


	9. No More

Link woke up right where he’d fallen asleep: his head resting on Rhett’s chest. It seemed like they hadn’t moved an inch. Rhett’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm and Link kept his eyes closed and listened to his heartbeat. He knew this was the last time he could do this. He craved to move his hand, to slip his palm under Rhett’s shirt and feel his stomach move with his breathing. Link wondered how soft the hairs there would be. The thought made the bottom of Link’s belly ache and he let himself enjoy the sweet pain for a moment.

_Pa-thump. Pa-thump. Pa-thump._ Link tried to memorize the sound. He realized his heart was beating in the same calm rhythm. Link imagined a world where this was the norm. He imagined how it would feel to wake up entwined together like this every morning. He imagined how he’d make Rhett’s breathing quicken by moving his palm down from his stomach. Caress Rhett’s hip bones with his fingertips and how his hand would follow the deep v-shape further down. His fingers would slip under the waistband as Rhett squirmed with anticipation and he’d conjure low moans and quiet sighs with his hand working like magic under the fabric. Link drew a deep breath and pressed his forehead to Rhett’s chest. The dream was sweet but that’s all it was – a dream.

Link lifted his head to look at Rhett. His eyes were open. He was staring at the ceiling but Link’s movement made his gaze flit down. Their eyes met. Link was sure Rhett could see the want in his but he didn’t mind anymore. The cat was out of the bag with that one. Rhett was looking at him, face stiff and serious. Link’s eyes started to burn. His arm instinctively tightened around Rhett. He didn’t want this moment to end. Rhett sighed and gently extricated himself from Link’s embrace. Link was left feeling deflated. _This is it._

Rhett sat up on the bed and leaned against the wall. Link fought the tears and sat cross-legged at the end of the bed. He was staring at his hands. They sat in silence for a long time. When Link finally lifted his gaze to Rhett, he was looking somewhere far into the distance.

“I –” Link started but was unable to continue. His throat was dry and tight. A swallow helped marginally. He had so much to say but words seemed to have failed him. Rhett was looking at him now.

“You remember when I told you that I left North Carolina right after high school?”

Link frowned. This was not what he’d expected Rhett to say.

“Of course.”

“You never asked me why.”

“Oh. Um… I just assumed you got into school here or something?”

“No. I didn’t. I came because I’d met someone online who was willing to let me bunk with them.”

“Well, that was nice of them,” Link said, still feeling uncertain why Rhett was telling this to him now.

“Not really. Actually, he wasn’t a very nice guy... But that’s another story,” Rhett said his voice straining a bit. Link searched his features for answers to the questions that filled his mind. Had Rhett been hurt by this man? Even the idea of that made Link’s stomach turn. Rhett drew a breath and shook his head. He looked at Link and the corners of his lips turned into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Anyway. I’ve always known I was gay. Ever since I was a little kid. I’ve never felt anything but friendship towards girls. Boys, on the other hand...well, I was taught it was wrong. It was very confusing to me. What did it matter that the person I wanted to kiss was a boy? It didn’t feel bad to me. It felt sweet and nice and wholesome. But my parents were… _are_ very conservative. Even though I felt like I was doing nothing wrong, I was smart enough to hide that side of myself from them. I managed to get to seventeen without them knowing. Then I got caught. It was – “ Rhett suddenly stopped and pressed his palms into his eyes. The film of tears forming had been evident. His body was tight like a spring. Link wanted to move to him, wanted to hug him; console him. But something about the way Rhett was folded over himself made it clear he didn’t want to be touched right now. So, Link just sat in silence and waited.

His mind wandered. He could imagine the hurt. He’d had a friend back home that came out when they were sixteen. Sebastian. They’d known each other since they were in diapers. Link had been the first person he told. Link had told him to hide it. To tell no one else, to protect himself. Sebastian hadn’t listened. He’d wanted to be “true to himself” as he’d put it. It was a nice sentiment but the fallout had been nothing short of horrific. The way he’d been treated had been almost inhumane. It had shaken something in Link.

Sebastian had been strong; he’d managed to deal with the hate, at least Link thought so. They’d lost touch and it had been all Link’s fault. Link’s parents had been adamant. _You’re not going near that degenerate anymore, do you hear me?!_ Link could still see how his father looked at him, like he’d already been infected with something nasty. Link hadn’t been strong enough to fight them. He saw Sebastian only once after that. Link had to try and explain. Sebastian wouldn’t listen. He was so angry. _I thought you loved me!_ The hurt in his voice was like a knife. It took a piece of Link’s heart. He was left in tatters. He had loved him. Too much. It still hurt to think about him. Sebastian left town soon after. Link had no idea where he’d ended up.

Link tried to pry himself out of the memories. He almost wanted to tell Rhett. Wanted to share some of the hurt. But he couldn’t. The words refused to come out. Rhett was moving again. His hands fell to his knees that he had tugged close to his chest. He was looking at Link with bloodshot eyes.

“Let’s just say it was not good. There was a lot of yelling and ultimatums. I left. I haven’t seen them since.”

“I’m sorry.” It was all Link was able to say.

“I appreciate it.”

“I feel for you. I really I do. That must have been horrible. But I’m not… That’s just not me,” Link said. He was wringing his hands in his lap. He wanted Rhett. That was certain. Rhett knew that too. But it was an anomaly. He couldn’t turn his life upside down because of one outlier. He just couldn’t.

Rhett was looking at him. His gaze was intense and his silence told Link that he was waiting for Link to continue. But what could he say? Nothing would make this better. So, he said nothing. Finally, Rhett let his gaze fall.

“You’re not gonna leave her, are you?” Rhett asked quietly. He didn’t sound angry or even frustrated; just resigned. A wave of nausea hit Link. He swallowed before answering.

“No.”

The word was said quietly but rang loudly between them. Link saw when it hit Rhett. It made him deflate. It made him look so small. Link grabbed his chest. It felt like it was caving in. Rhett bit his lip and nodded a few times.

“I get it. I – I wish you guys all the best,” he said, voice shaky as he scrambled up from the bed. Link stumbled after him. His eyes were burning again. Rhett was leaving. He was going and the reality of it seemed to finally hit Link. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t be with him but he definitely couldn’t be without him.

“Wait! I – Rhett, please. We can still be friends, right?” Link pleaded. He knew he sounded pathetic but he didn’t care. Rhett was headed for the door, Link trailing behind him. He saw Rhett shake his head.

“No. I’m sorry but we can’t. I can’t. You know how I feel about you. You know how I feel about her. I just can’t stand by and watch you make this mistake. It hurts too much,” Rhett whispered, his hand already on the front door handle. His voice trembled and his shoulders were lifted all the way up to his ears.

“Don’t. Please, don’t say that. I need you,” Link’s voice broke. He grabbed Rhett’s arm and tried to turn him. He could convince Rhett, right? If he could just look him in the eyes and tell him how much their friendship meant to him, Rhett would stay. He had to stay.

Rhett was immovable. He still stood at the door, pressing on the handle, not moving a muscle. Link was so close to crying he felt like a soft breeze would turn him into a mess of tears.

“Rhett,” he pleaded again, yanking on his arm. A sob; one tiny, pitiful sob escaped him. “Please.”

The rush of movement surprised him. He made a sound, a yip one might have called it, and he was pressed against the wall. Rhett was pushing his body on him; his hands were on Link’s face, cupping his cheeks. He was breathing hard, ragged. They were so close. Lips parted, hungry and desperate, Link tried to bridge the gap between them. Rhett pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry. One last time,” he muttered before pressing his lips fiercely on Link’s. Link moaned into his mouth, opened up to him, letting his tongue brush against his. Link was touching, grabbing, _feeling_ everything. He was frantic. _One last time._ His hands were in Rhett’s hair, on his shoulders, on his back, bunching up his shirt at his chest, feverishly moving down, slipping into his sweatpants, squeezing. Getting a rough growl in return. Just when Link was certain this would lead to something, Rhett suddenly stepped back. He wiped his mouth clean like he’d just had the messiest meal of his life and lifted his hands up as if in surrender.

“No more,” he whispered, eyes wild and pained. And then he was out the door. Link sank down, sat against the wall and wept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really couldn't do any of this without sassandpanache. (I know, I know, love. You'll say that I'd still write and blaa blaa blaa... I would, yes. But it wouldn't be nearly as good!) <3


	10. Fractures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: This chapter includes depictions of violence (not very graphic ones, though).

Link was on edge. His foot kept tapping an unsteady beat against the floor. He wanted to hop up and take a lap to release some of the nervous energy. To make matters worse, his tie was too tight. He’d had it just right when they’d arrived at the restaurant. But when they’d been waiting for their table, Catherine had leaned over and tightened it with a sweet smile. Link didn’t want to sour the mood by saying it was too tight, so now he just suffered.

A smiling waiter placed their main dishes in front of them. Catherine scrunched her nose at the meat. Apparently, it didn’t look lean enough.

“I can definitely see fat here at the edge. I should just get them to make me another one,” she said.

_Or you could just cut it off._ “Of course. They should get it right,” Link said absentmindedly. Catherine eyed for a waiter but none were near. She sighed, annoyance radiating off of her in waves that seemed to make Link more anxious. Link kept pushing his own food across the plate. He had no appetite. The ring box was like a hot coal in his pocket. Maybe he should just do it now? Get it over with. Catherine was snapping her fingers at a waiter who was going towards another table. _Maybe not just yet._

Last week’s plans had gone sideways when Catherine had gotten the flu. It had almost felt like divine intervention. _Maybe it's a sign?_ But Link was a man of reason. He knew there was no such thing as destiny. It was just a coincidence. Catherine just happened to get sick. It didn’t actually mean anything. So, they rescheduled. 

“Are you even listening to me?” Catherine’s frustrated huff jerked Link from his thoughts. He gave her an apologetic smile.

“Sorry. Got lost in my head.”

Catherine just shook her head and got back into her work story. Link noticed her plate had been taken away. His attention quickly drifted off again.

It had been a week since Link had seen Rhett; a week since the desperate kiss in Link’s foyer. Link missed his voice. That seemed to be the worst part right now. Every day was a struggle. He fought the urge to call him. He just wanted a few words, a sentence or too. Just to hear his deep timbre. But he figured that Rhett wouldn’t answer even if he did call. After a particularly heart wrenching dream a few nights ago, Link had almost called him from work. Rhett might have answered the unfamiliar number. Link had been so tempted. He’d punched the number in and everything, but couldn’t go through with it in the end.

“Charles!” Catherine snarled. She was looking at Link with an annoyed scowl.

“Huh?” Link felt embarrassed. He’d gotten lost again. This was not going well. 

“Your phone is ringing. Turn it off,” she spat, arms crossed across her chest. Link snatched his buzzing phone from the edge of the table and looked at the caller ID. His heart skipped a beat. It was Rhett. Rhett was calling him.

“I have to take this,” Link muttered and got up so fast his chair tipped over with a clatter. Heads turned around them. Catherine was looking at him, eyes wide.

“Excuse me?!” Catherine said, sounding aghast. Link opened his mouth to apologize but for some reason the words refused to come out. He just shrugged, motioned at the phone and turned towards the entrance. He could hear a shrill “You’ve got to be kidding me. Charles!” behind him but ignored it. Rhett was calling. He stepped out of the restaurant and answered the call.

“Rhett?” Link breathed into the phone.

“Link? Hey, um… It’s Stevie actually,” a familiar voice said. Link’s stomach sank. He’d gotten his hopes up. Of course Rhett wasn’t calling him. He leaned against the wall and fought the tears. Then a horrifying feeling gripped him. Why would Stevie be calling from Rhett’s phone?

“Is Rhett okay?” Link whispered. There was a pause in the other end that, in Link’s mind, lasted a century.

“He’s fine, but we’re at the hospital. I – Well, he’s not fine, he got beat up pretty badly.”

“What?!” Link’s breathing was ragged as his hand braced against the building. He imagined Rhett in a hospital bed, tubes and wires coming out of him. He imagined the machinery beeping, keeping him alive. He imagined the worse; it almost took him to his knees.

“He really is gonna be okay! I promise. They say he looks worse than it is. They're saying he got extremely lucky,” Stevie was saying, words tumbling out of her in a rush.

“Okay,” Link muttered, wiping away the one tear that had managed to escape to his cheek.

“He doesn’t know I’m calling…”

“Stevie,” Link’s voice was suddenly stern. This seemed like a bad idea. Rhett had been very clear. Why would Stevie go behind his back like this? What did she think she could gain from this?

“I know! But he was asking for you,” Stevie’s words pierced Link’s heart.

“He was?” Link’s voice immediately went soft and small. _He wants to see me._

“Yeah. Maybe you could come over?”

“Okay. Where are you?”

“I’ll text you the details.”

“Good. I’ll get a ride. I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay. Hey, Link?”

“Yeah?” Link asked. He was already stepping back into the restaurant. The cacophony of smells and noises hit him hard and made him nauseous. He just needed to pay, get out and get to Rhett. Stevie was silent on the other end. Link stopped a few tables away from Catherine and frowned.

“Stevie?”

“You know what. We’ll just talk when you get here. See you soon,” she finally said and ended the call. Link stared at the phone for a second. There was something off but he had no time to try and figure it out now. He walked back up to the table while tapping on his phone to get an Uber.

“What the hell, Charles?! That was the rudest thing anyone has ever done to me. How dare you?” Catherine was fuming at him. She’d gotten the check. It was sitting on the edge of the table peeking from one of those plush leather casings fancy restaurants liked to use. She saw Link notice it and a small smirk ghosted her lips before she pulled a wounded look on her face. “I want you to take me home. The whole night is ruined.”

“Oh, good, you’ve gotten the check. I need to go,” Link said, ignoring her indignation. He dug out his wallet and slipped his credit card inside the leather. Catherine was looking at him, her mouth hanging open in shock.

“Go where? What the hell is going on with you lately?! You’re not acting like yourself,” she said sounding more confused than mad.

“I need to go see Rhett. He’s in the hospital,” Link said and stopped a waiter going by. “Hey, I have to leave right now. Is it okay if I’ll come and collect my card tomorrow?”

“Yes, of course,” the waiter said and took it with him with a small smile. Link turned to walk out when Catherine’s shriek stopped him.

“Charles!“

Link turned to look at her. “What?” he said, exasperated. He just needed to go. He had no time for this.

“If you walk out that door right now, we are over!” Her eyes squinted with fury and her chin was lifted high. Link knew the look. She was certain Link would stay. A tiny part of him waited eagerly for the surprise his next words would bring to her face. Link looked her straight in the eyes and shrugged.

“I guess we’re over then.”

And he walked out the door.

\---

The Uber driver was a chatty one. Thankfully, he seemed to be just fine talking by himself. Link threw in a “hmm?” and “that’s amazing” here and there and the driver kept babbling happily. Link wasn’t actually listening. He was staring out the window and worrying. He should’ve asked Stevie what had happened. That way he wouldn’t have had to imagine. Maybe Rhett had been mugged. The idea of Rhett being held at gunpoint made Link’s stomach churn uncomfortably. Maybe he’d gotten into a fight. But that just didn’t seem possible. Rhett was not the type to get into a scuffle. Link’s foot kept tapping on the floor.

“Oh, wow. What’s going on here?” The driver’s words pulled Link back to reality. He leaned to look out. They were slowly pulling into the visitor entrance and it was filled with news vans. Link craned his neck to see what was happening. There were a few camera crews loitering around the entrance and reporters tapping on their phones.

“Someone famous must be here. I wonder who it is. You want me to leave you here?” the driver asked Link. Link had already lost interest in the press and thanked the driver with a five star review. He got out of the car and walked in. A few people lifted their heads from their phones as Link went by but got right back to it when they realized he was no one of interest. Link had texted Stevie from the car and she was waiting for him at the lobby. She stood on the far side, partially covered by a partition wall, peeking towards the entrance. She flashed a smile at Link when she spotted him.

“Hey,” Link greeted her as he walked up to her. He had no time to react to the dark pink bruising around her eye before he was pulled into a tight hug. “Hey,” Stevie muttered against him and squeezed him with surprising force for such a tiny figure.

“Oh my God, Stevie, what happened?” Link asked horrified as they parted. Stevie grimaced and touched the top of her cheek with a flinch.

“Come on. Let’s go somewhere more private,” she said, taking one last peek at the entrance where a few of the reporters were craning their necks to see inside. Link frowned in confusion and followed her to the elevator. Stevie’s face had fallen to a grave expression as they waited for the doors to open.

“Rhett didn’t do that to you, did he? I always told him he had the grace of a gangly giraffe,” Link said to Stevie with a small smile and a nudge to her arm, trying to lighten the mood. Stevie laughed out loud.

“Yeah, no. God,” she said wiping tears from her eyes. “Thanks for that laugh. You haven’t seen the video yet?”

“What video?” Link asked confused. The elevator dinged and Link followed Stevie to a hallway of doors. They stopped next to one. There were a few chairs next to it. Stevie sat down, patted the seat next to her and took out her phone. Link sat down gingerly. He kept eyeing the door. Was this where Rhett was? Why weren’t they going inside?

“Here,” Stevie said, pushing her phone on Link’s hand. It was open to a news site and a grainy video was queued up on it. Link frowned and glanced at Stevie. She wasn’t smiling anymore and just gestured Link to press play. He did.

The video started from far away. A group of people were engaged in obviously heated words. The person recording the video was jogging closer and the image shook uncomfortably for a while. Then it steadied and Link recognized Stevie and Emma. They were behind Rhett. Emma was embracing Stevie who was holding her face in her palms. Emma was screaming at the crowd of guys in front of them. Rhett was standing between the men and Stevie and Emma.

“Did you see that? They hit that girl. What the hell?” was said, presumably by the person holding the phone.

“What’s going on? Should we call the cops?” someone else behind the phone asked.

“Yeah.”

Emma was shaking her fist at the men and Stevie was trying to pull her away. One of the guys stepped forward fists raised and was saying something to Rhett. Rhett was standing tall above him and holding his hands in front of himself in a pacifying gesture. Suddenly, all hell broke loose. Rhett was struck straight on the nose and he responded with a punch of his own. He was surrounded in seconds and punches were dealt all over him. Stevie was still holding on to Emma who looked like she was about to try and kill someone. She was screaming, face red and tear-streaked as she struggled to get out of Stevie’s hold. Rhett was now on the ground and when the first kick landed on his side, Link had to pause the video. His hand was in front of his mouth and he was fighting the bile that threatened to rise from his stomach.

“The bathroom is right there,” Stevie whispered, pointing.

Link flew towards the door. He got on his knees in front of the toilet just in time to empty the meager contents of his stomach into it. He heaved and heaved. The image of Rhett on the ground was etched into his mind.

“Sorry,” Stevie said as Link rejoined her. “Should’ve warned you.”

Link sat heavily on the chair and pressed his face in his palms. He still felt queasy.

“You said he’s fine. How can he be fine after that?” he whispered.

“I did say he’s been beat up,” Stevie reminded Link and started to list his injuries. “He has a broken nose, split lip, a few fractured ribs, and lots of contusions. Probably a concussion too. They took some scans. There shouldn’t be anything life threatening or permanent. He looks bad, but he’s gonna be okay. He’s been pretty heavily medicated, sleeping mostly.”

Link squinted at her. “You said he asked for me. How could he ask for me if…?”

“Oh, um… Yeah. I might have fibbed a bit. He kept saying your name, though, when they brought him here. He was pretty out of it at that point but…”

“Stevie!” Link moaned into his hands. He felt his chest deflating. He should’ve known. 

“No! I know he’s been missing you like crazy. I’m sure he’d want you to be here.”

“That’s not your decision to make,” Link groaned and straightened in his seat. His head thumped against the wall and he stared into nothingness. He should just go home. Rhett didn’t want him here.

“But you want to be here, right?” Stevie asked, her elbow gently nudging Link’s arm. Link sighed. She was right.

“You know that sometimes you’re wrong too,” Link said exasperated. Stevie let out a chuckle.

“Maybe once in a while. But not about this. Let’s go in. He’s sleeping now anyway.”

“Okay.” Link conceded. He was about to get up when a thought hit him and he grabbed Stevie’s arm. “Wait! That video was on the news? Were the reporters outside here because of Rhett?”

“Yeah. I thought you would’ve figured that out already. He’s pretty famous in our circles and there’s the whole homophobia angle of the attack. The press is having a field day.”

“Fuck,” Link muttered. Stevie patted him on the shoulder.

“Come on.”

Link followed her into the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sassandpanche, your help has been paramount to getting this story to where it is now. I love you and I will keep saying it every day! <3


	11. Be The Strong One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: This chapter includes depictions of violence (not very graphic ones, though).

Rhett wasn’t asleep like Stevie had said. He was sitting on the bed drinking from a paper cup. When they stepped into the room, his eyes immediately shot to Link and widened in what seemed like panic. He turned to look at Stevie. The frown he gave her made him wince with pain.

Link took in his appearance. He had a splint taped up over his nose. His lip was swollen and still a bit bloody. A bruise was forming on his neck. Still, the first feeling that hit Link was relief. There were no beeping machines, no wires or tubes. Rhett looked wrecked but not like he was on his deathbed.

The feeling subsided quickly and was replaced with a pain in his chest. Rhett looked like he was hurting. His eyebrows seemed permanently threaded and now he was also squinting at Stevie, who was suddenly very interested on her phone.

“Stevie,” Rhett rasped. His voice was a reprimand. Stevie lifted her eyes from the phone and smiled like she’d just now realized Rhett was there.

“I’m so happy to see you up! I have to step out for just a moment,” she said and waved her phone as she stepped back to the door. “I’ll let you two _talk_ ,” she added before the door closed behind her with a soft thud. Link and Rhett were left alone. Link swayed in place, trying to figure out what to do or say.

The silence stretched. Link was starting to panic. He seriously considered just bolting out of the room. Finally, Rhett sighed and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Stevie called me,” Link said with a shrug. He wasn’t sure if he should say that he’d been duped. That he’d thought Rhett wanted him there.

“Figures,” Rhett said and rolled his eyes. Link tried to chuckle a bit but the sound got stuck on his dry throat and all that came out was a sputtering cough and wheezing. Rhett’s eyebrows lifted.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Link said still wheezing. “Sore throat, just threw up. Anyway, that’s what I’m supposed to ask you!”

“I’m fine,” Rhett said but his words were in total contrast with his actions. As he said it, he waved his hand in an attempt to appear dismissive. Unfortunately, the movement made him hiss and quickly pull his arm back down across his stomach. Link winced with him. Rhett’s head turned away from Link, but Link couldn’t miss Rhett biting his lip and fighting back tears. Link stalked slowly next to the bed.

“You’re not fine, Rhett,” he said as he sat warily on the edge. Rhett scooted a few inches to give Link room but didn’t turn to look at him. Link craved to lie down next to him and wrap around him. He wanted to make Rhett feel safe and loved; wanted to tell him that he’d do anything to take away the hurt. The need was strong but stronger than that was the urge to go and find the guys that did this. The anger blazing inside him was new and frightening. Link had never been a violent person but now he could easily imagine himself hurting another human being. Not that they were humans at all. They were something less.

Images of the video still flashed in Link’s mind but now they mixed with old memories of Sebastian bloodied and crying behind their school building. Link on his knees next to him, feeling the pain as it was his own, tears burning his eyes. Sebastian pushing him away, yelling at him, calling him a coward. Link getting angry through his tears, yelling back, blaming Sebastian for the attack. Link’s stomach tightened painfully at the memory. If he could change one thing about his life, he’d take away those words and replace them with words of support and comfort.

“What do you mean you threw up?” Rhett asked, suddenly shaking Link from his memories.

“Oh, um… I saw the video,” Link said. His cheeks flushed warm. How dang soft do you have to be to throw up because of a video? Rhett was going to think he was such a lightweight.

“What video?” Rhett asked. He’d turned to look at Link, one eyebrow crooked up in confusion.

“Of the attack?”

“Someone filmed it?! Goddamn it,” Rhett’s head thumped gently against the wall and he sighed deeply.

“Yeah. It’s all over the news sites apparently. There’s press in front of the hospital…”

“For fuck’s sake,” Rhett cursed and closed his eyes. “Can you ask Stevie back in? I need to talk with her.”

“Yeah. Of course,” Link said jumping up almost excitedly. At least he could do _something_ for Rhett. Stevie stepped in with Emma who was carrying a bag of Rhett’s clothes. As soon as she saw Link, she promptly hopped over to him and gave him a tight hug.

“Good to see you, Link,” she said with an eye-squinting smile. Link couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face in response. Emma stepped to the bed and gave Rhett a quick peck on the cheek.

“Hey there, superstar. How are you feeling?” she asked with a cheeky grin. Rhett shrugged.

“Pretty good. Ready to tear it up this weekend,” he said with a wink. Emma scrunched her nose at him and stuck out her tongue. Rhett smiled at her warmly. Link felt a shameful pang of jealousy. Emma had come in and gotten Rhett smiling in less than a minute. Link on the other hand seemed to just make him feel worse.

“Come on, let’s go get some coffee and let these two talk shop,” Emma said as she took Link’s hand and pulled him towards the door. Link threw one last look at Rhett, hoping to catch his eye but Rhett was already focused on Stevie. 

They took the elevator down and, with some help from a nurse, found the cafeteria. Link paid for two coffees and they sat next to some big windows letting in the last of the evening light. Link was staring out the window and stirring his coffee. He was lost in his thoughts.

“He’s gonna be okay,” Emma quietly said after a while. Link sighed, slightly annoyed with himself. Was he so obviously fragile that everyone had to make him feel better when he was the only one who hadn’t been attacked? 

“I know. Are _you_ okay?” Link asked turning his gaze on her. Her smile fell and was replaced with an angry grimace.

“I will be when I get my hands on those guys,” she snarled.

“Please tell me they’re locked up at least. To be safe from you,” Link added at the end to lighten the mood. Emma gave him a small smile.

“No. They got away. But there’s the video. I hope someone turns them in. Fuckers,” she spat out the last word like it was poisonous. Link reached across the table and took her hand.

“I’m sure they will be caught. You wanna tell me what happened?” Link asked hesitantly. “You don’t have to!” he added hastily.

“No, it’s fine. I still can’t believe it. I’ve had people yelling slurs and shit before but never anything like this…” Emma’s voice trailed off and her gaze flitted somewhere far into the distance. Link squeezed her hand. She looked back at him and smiled warmly. “Anyway. We were getting ice cream. Rhett was still inside and Stevie and I were outside the shop. She had some ice cream on her nose and I was trying to lick it off or something. Silly stuff, you know?”

Link nodded and took a sip of his coffee with his other hand, still holding onto Emma with the other. He had no words to give her that would make this better, but at least he could support her like this.

“There was a group of guys going by. I think they’d been drinking. A few of them started whistling and catcalling. They kind of surrounded us and started to demand that we kiss. They used really nasty language… It was messed up. And, you know Stevie, she had to say something catty back at them. And one of them hit her! It happened so fast. And I got so mad, I started screaming at them. Then Rhett was there and he was trying to talk them down and the guy just got more and more angry and they started yelling at him too. I don’t even know what happened. It was like suddenly, Rhett was on the ground. It was awful. I think Stevie had to hold me back or something. I think I blacked out for a bit. Thankfully, it didn’t last long. When they heard the sirens, they bolted. And Rhett was just laying there. Like not moving at all. I seriously thought he was dead for a second…” Emma’s voice broke and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry. Inexcusable. Horrific. I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Link was mumbling as he handed her a tissue he dug from his pocket. He was the one that had asked but hearing the details still made his stomach roil uncomfortably. Emma blew her nose and angrily dabbed the tears away.

“Not your fault but thanks. Fucking monsters. Gonna sue the shit out of them,” she was muttering between sniffles. She downed her coffee and offered her hand back to Link. He took it between both of his. They sat like that until Stevie came to get them. Rhett was being released. Apparently, there was no need for monitoring anymore as all the tests had come back clear. He was prescribed strong painkillers and rest. 

When they got back to the room, Rhett was sitting at the edge of his bed looking sullen. The clothes Emma had gotten from his place were on the bed. He’d managed to get his sweatpants on, but he was still bare chested and sockless. His eyes were trained to the floor in front of him and his shoulders were hunched.

“Do you need help?” Link asked hesitantly. 

Rhett just sat there, not saying a word. Link made a decision despite Rhett’s stubbornness and stepped up to him. He eyed for Rhett’s reaction as he picked up his shirt. Rhett glanced at him with tightened lips but lifted his arms a bit. Link slipped the shirt on him, careful not to jostle him too much. Rhett still winced a couple of times and even cursed once under his breath. Link muttered an apology that made Rhett look at him with a vicious scowl. Link gently pulled the hem of the shirt over Rhett’s belly and felt a twinge of shame as the thought of touching the soft fluff on it flitted through his mind. Link snatched the socks next and knelt in front of Rhett. Rhett tugged his feet under the bed and his hand shot towards Link as he grunted, “You don’t have to do that.” Link lifted his gaze up to Rhett.

“I want to.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Link trying to coax Rhett with his soft gaze and Rhett looking at him with a pained look of confusion.

“Fine,” Rhett finally sighed and let Link gently pull on his socks and shoes. Link smiled a bit as he got up and offered his hand to Rhett for support.

“I can walk,” he snapped and pushed Link’s hand away. Link shrugged and stepped aside. Rhett pushed himself off the bed and started to tilt sideways immediately. He yelped and Link was next to him instantly wrapping his arm around his waist and supporting his weight. Rhett made an annoyed huff but whispered a small, “Thank you.” They walked out the room like that.

“We’re gonna take the side entrance. Maybe we’ll be able to avoid most of the press,” Stevie said as they stepped into the elevator. Link nodded and suddenly his stomach turned again. He’d forgotten about the reporters. They walked through the hallways of the hospital, taking so many turns that Link wouldn’t have been able to find his way back if he’d wanted to. Finally, they came to a small door. Stevie took a deep breath and opened it. Their hopes were immediately squashed. As light poured into the small hallway they were standing in, a barrage of questions attacked at them.

“Jackson! Did you know the attackers?”

“Can you give us a statement?”

“What are your injuries? When can you get back to work?”

“Jackson! Jackson! Look over here, please!”

There were flashes from the cameras and people poking their microphones towards their faces. They dove amongst the small mass of people and Link had to concentrate hard on staying calm in the ruckus that surrounded them. Some of the reporters were addressing questions to Stevie and Emma too. Asking how long they’d been together and demanding a statement. Emma was standing on the other side of Rhett, shielding her face from the cameras. Stevie was walking in front of the three of them.

“No comments. We’re making an official statement tomorrow,” Stevie was repeating as they moved towards the car parked close by. Her voice was steady and pleasant. She smiled at the cameras looking like she was on a lovely Sunday stroll. But Link could see her hand desperately seeking for Emma’s behind her back. Emma grabbed it and moved next to her, plastering the same smile on her face. The cameras trained onto them. 

Rhett was shaking against Link. He’d pressed his face into the crook of Link’s neck and Link was basically dragging him towards the car. Link pushed Rhett into the backseat and jumped in after him. He buckled both of them up. Rhett was still leaning against him. Link’s arm was around him and he was petting Rhett’s arm gently. Emma turned the ignition and glanced at them from the rear view mirror.

“Ready?” 

“Let’s get out of here,” Link pleaded as one the photographers was pressing against the back window and snapping pictures. Soon the hospital was far behind them.

“Goddamn it. Someone must have told them,” Stevie cursed. “Should’ve gotten the security to help us out. I’m sorry, Rhett.”

“It’s okay. That was bound to happen,” Rhett sighed. Then, it was like he’d suddenly realized who he was clinging onto. He pulled away from Link with a jerk and leaned against the car door, putting as much distance between them as he could. The move caused a sharp slash of pain at Link’s heart. Emma was holding onto Stevie’s hand and Link kept staring at their entwined fingers all the whole way home. The jealousy that simmered there was a dirty beast and it gnawed at Link’s soul like never before.

\---

It didn’t take long before Rhett had been successfully escorted into his bed. He’d put up a fight saying he’d rather settle on the couch but eventually he had to give in to group pressure. It was three against one after all. They stood in the foyer, all of them feeling exhausted. It was late. Link felt like he’d been at the restaurant with Catherine weeks ago even though it had only been a few hours ago.

“So, Em and I should stay, right? He needs someone to be here,” Stevie said with a yawn that threatened to dislocate her jaw. Emma was leaning her head against Stevie’s shoulder and nodding sleepily.

“No, you guys need to go rest too. I’m gonna stay,” Link said. He was tired too, but not as tired as those two.

“Are you sure?” Stevie asked, but it was only for courtesy. Her hand was already on the door handle. Link smiled at her and said, “I’m sure.” The door opened. Emma slouched off of her girlfriend and leaned in to give Link a hug.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his ear. Link looked at her, confusion leaking into his features.

“For what?”

“For being there. For listening. For being you,” Emma said and gave him one last tight squeeze. They were already out the door when Link called after them.

“Hey, Stevie!”

She turned and cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Thank you. For calling me.”

Stevie smiled and gave him a silly, small salute before dragging Emma into the elevator. Link smiled as the doors closed. He wandered back into Rhett’s apartment and into the kitchen. He poured Rhett a big glass of water and added ice. He peeked into the fridge and frowned at its contents. Then Link walked back to the bedroom with the glass. Rhett was propped up on a mountain of pillows, browsing something on his phone. His eyes shot up to Link when he stepped into the room.

“Where’s Stevie?” he asked, frowning. Link set the water down on the nightstand.

“They went home. Emma was almost falling asleep standing up.”

“Oh. Of course. You can go too.”

“Nah. I’m staying here,” Link said and tugged on Rhett’s blanket to straighten it a bit. Not that it needed it but the gesture made Link feel better. “Do you need something else? Are you hungry? There isn’t really that much in the fridge, but I can order something.”

“Link. Go. Home.” Rhett pronounced the words with an angry lilt. Link turned to look him straight in the eyes.

“No.”

“Link! I’m fine. I don’t need you here. I don’t _want_ you here.”

Link tried to ignore the pain Rhett's words inflicted on him and sat on the edge of the bed.

“That’s understandable. I’m sorry. I really am. I’m sorry that this happened to you. I’m sorry that you’re hurting. I’m sorry for everything else too. Everything that’s happened between us. Rhett?” Link said trying to get Rhett’s attention. Rhett had turned his head away when Link started to talk. His mouth was pulled into a tight line and his eyebrows were threaded together. 

“Rhett, please look at me?” He wouldn’t. Link’s chest tightened. Were they really this far gone? Would Rhett rather suffer alone than accept help from him? Link frowned. It was his own damn fault. He’d treated Rhett horribly. His eyes were slowly starting to burn.

“Rhett. You can’t even go to the bathroom without help. Let me be here for you. I know I don’t deserve it, but _you do_ ,” Link pleaded. He lifted his hand and placed his palm gently on Rhett’s arm. Rhett pulled it away with a jerk that made him cry with pain. Tears burst out of Link’s eyes and he quickly whipped his hand away.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice muffled by the hand that he was pressing over his mouth to stop the sob rising from his chest. Rhett curled his arms around himself and scooted farther away from Link. The pain was making his eyes water too. At least Link hoped it was only the physical pain. Link sniffled and mentally pounded his chest a few times. He could do this; he could be strong for Rhett.

“I’m staying in the living room. We don’t have to talk. If it makes it any better, you can even just text me when you need something.”

Rhett sighed. He was gnawing on his bottom lip. Link sat in silence, giving him time. Finally, Rhett nodded slowly.

“Okay. But the text thing is just ridiculous,” he snapped. Link couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. Rhett squinted at him.

“Stop looking so happy about it!”

“Sorry. I’m sorry. I feel horrible about it. I hate being here,” Link said with a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

“God have mercy on me,” Rhett muttered and pushed himself up. “Well, since you’re here, help me get to the bathroom then. I wanna get to sleep.”

\---

The couch was a bit too soft for Link’s liking and he had to sleep curled up. That meant that he had only barely dozed off when he woke up to the sound of quiet sobbing. He was disoriented for a moment at the unfamiliar surroundings but then he remembered. _Rhett!_ He was up in an instant and barged into the bedroom wearing only his boxer briefs trying to see into the darkness.

“Rhett? What’s wrong?” he whispered. He didn’t want to turn the lights on, so he just blindly fumbled towards the bed. Rhett was sobbing and gasping for air. Link crawled on the bed and had a flash of memory of the night Rhett had done the same for him. It felt like it’d happened years ago. This time he was the one to gather Rhett in his arms.

“Shhhh. Hey. Hey. It’s gonna be okay. I’m gonna take care of you. Come on. Let’s do the breathing thing together,” Link was whispering into Rhett’s ear. Rhett was clinging onto him, crying against his bare chest. Link kept muttering reassurances at him and rubbing his back. Slowly but surely Rhett’s breathing evened out. Finally, he hiccuped one last time and melted into Link. His breathing was calm, and Link’s fingers found a steady pulse on his neck before diving into his hair to pet him gently.

“Wanna tell me about it?” Link asked quietly. He was sure Rhett would say no but he wanted to give him the opportunity. Rhett sniffled.

“Just a dream. About.. ugh… About what happened. It just felt so real. I panicked.”

“I think that’s perfectly normal after a trauma like that.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you feel better?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want me to go?”

Link was waiting for another “yeah” but there was only silence. The silence stretched on and Link refused to move until he was made to.

“I didn’t want you to see me like this,” Rhett said after a while, voice small and shaky. Link’s eyebrows shot up and his arms around Rhett tightened.

“What do you mean? Like what? Hurting? Because I don’t want you to hurt either,” Link said quietly.

“No. Just… Fuck. I didn’t want you to see me so – _weak_.” The last word was barely audible. Like Rhett was confessing to a terrible crime. Link almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

“Oh God, no! You are _not_ weak. Far from it. Your friends were in trouble and you didn’t hesitate for a second. You went between them and imminent violence. You do realize that’s not something people usually do? You’re part of a rare breed, McLaughlin. You were so brave. I couldn’t be more proud of you,” Link said in a hushed tone. Rhett felt so small in his arms and as he clung onto Link, sobbing again. The need to protect him tugged at Link’s heart. Rhett hold on him loosened as he muttered something unintelligible against Link’s chest.

“Hmm? What was that?” Link asked.

“You have to go,” Rhett repeated, now audibly.

“What?” Link asked with a sinking feeling.

“I’m sorry. I can’t. We shouldn’t,” Rhett was muttering between sniffles. “I’m not strong enough to stay away from you. You have to... Link, please. Just go.”

Link’s throat felt like it was closing in on itself. He swallowed hard and nodded a few times. Rhett was right. They shouldn’t. All he did was hurt Rhett. Link’s eyes were burning as he slowly pulled himself out of Rhett’s embrace. Rhett's whimper was like a knife to his gut. Link stood up and felt like a part of his heart had been ripped out and left in Rhett's arms. It was almost like he could physically feel the pull of Rhett's body. He fought against it. And only after Rhett pressed his face into the pillow and sobbed, "Go." did he finally move.

“I'm so sorry,” Link muttered, hand pressed over his mouth, before closing the bedroom door and escaping into the living room. He fell on the couch like he was the one who’d been battered. Everything was hurting. Link curled up into himself and sobbed. The ache was all-consuming.

It took a long time before the sweet relief of sleep finally saved him from himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am deeply grateful of my beta sassandpanache. She gracefully deals with my crazy and continues to read all the angst that comes pouring out of me. I love you and I'm sorry. <3


	12. Stepping Down

Link woke up with bloodshot eyes, exhaustion still weighing heavy on him. He texted Stevie asking if one of them could come stay with Rhett while he was at work. Emma was on her way when Rhett woke up. Link helped him into the bathroom. They barely looked at each other. After Rhett was back in bed, Link refreshed his drink and asked if he needed anything. Rhett shook his head and turned his back on him. Link stood there for a moment, wallowing in the ache that was consuming him. 

“Rhett?” he asked quietly. Rhett sighed.

“Don’t. Just… Let me be,” he muttered.

Link was relieved when Emma knocked on the door. 

Link rushed home to take a quick shower and change clothes. He knew he was going to be late for work. His phone rang while he was running around the apartment trying to find his keys he’d already managed to displace in his rush. Link peeked at the caller ID. It was his mother. Link frowned. It was a strange time for her to call, but he had no time to talk now, so he just let the call go into voicemail. Finally, he found the keys and bolted out.

He was sweaty and out-of-breath when he got to the office. He had barely time to run to the breakroom to refrigerate his lunch before the first meeting. As he was about to step into the room, he heard someone say his name. Something about the tone stopped him. He stayed hidden just beyond the doorframe and listened.

“Yeah, Neal. You know the guy on third floor who just got the Newman project assigned to him?” a man’s voice sounded from the room. It was faintly familiar but Link couldn’t place it.

“Oh, yeah. I remember him. Nice guy. Quiet. Really?” another voice asked.

“Yeah, just saw the pic a minute ago. Would have never guessed he was munching on dick…”

“Oh, come on!”

“What?! I’m not saying it’s a bad thing! I mean he’s probably really good at it. With those blow job lips he’s got.”

“Wow. You looking to get into that action? Sounds like you have a crush.”

“Hardly. But I’ve always said, it’s not gay to receive. Wouldn’t mind taking those things for a test drive.” The sentence was followed by a dirty laugh. Link’s stomach churned. What the hell was going on?!

“You’re disgusting,” the other man said with a chuckle. Link heard footsteps coming towards the door.

“Whatever. Just surprised he’s actually managed to rope someone in. And it’s a goddamn porn star?! Good for him.”

“Hmm. I wonder what Richardson has to say about that. I hear he’s pretty conservative.”

Link ran. He only stopped at his cubicle to snatch his briefcase and rushed out of the office. Heads were popping up from cubicles as he went. Link felt their eyes on him, judging. His own eyes burned, and his chest felt like it was caving into itself. He just had to get out of there. He ran all the way out to the park. He sat panting next to the fountain and scrambled for his phone. More missed calls. His hands were shaking as he dialed for his voicemail.

“Link, you need to call me right at this second! Your father almost had a heart attack when he saw the pictures! This has to be a misunderstanding. I can’t… The neighbors have been calling all morning! Call me back!” His mother sounded hysterical. Link’s breathing was becoming erratic; he was close to hyperventilating again. He let the phone drop to his lap and tried to get his breathing steadied. The coffee cart girl was walking up to him. Link looked at her wide eyed. _Her too?!_

She stepped up to him and offered him a paper bag.

“This will help with the breathing,” she said with a small smile. Link took it gratefully and breathed into it.

“It’s gonna be okay. I’m sure it’s not nice to get outed like that. But for what it's worth, I always thought you were a cute couple,” she continued, blushing a bit. Link moved the bag from his mouth and rasped, “We’re not together.” The girl gave her a knowing smile and said, “Sure. I hope you’ll feel better.”

Link watched as she walked back to the cart. He sat there a long time. When he was breathing somewhat normally again, he texted his superior, telling him he was out sick again. Then he ordered an Uber. No way he was sitting on the bus right now. He sat on the backseat and browsed the news sites.

The story was everywhere. “Gay porn star stops a homophobic attack and gets himself beaten up!” the tabloids screamed. Obviously, all the big news sites used more politically correct terms. Adult entertainment performer was the most used one. Almost all the articles were actually very nice, praising Rhett for his actions and heralding him as a gay icon. The attack itself was condemned with harsh words and the video was everywhere. Police had issued a plea to get information on the attackers.

But despite all of this, the only thing Link saw where the photos of them leaving the hospital. Rhett clinging onto his side. Him looking protective and angry. And under every photo a caption. “Jackson Woodley and his unidentified partner.” "Jackson Woodley with his boyfriend." "Jackson Woodley was seen leaving the hospital wrapped in the arms of his husband." _Husband?!_ Link stared at the word. He felt breathless and weak. Ridiculous. It wouldn’t have taken much journalistic work to check that Rhett was not married.

“Hey!” the driver’s voice startled Link. “We’re here.”

Link looked out and saw they were parked next to his apartment building.

“Sorry. Thanks,” Link mumbled and got out of the car. He crashed inside his apartment and crawled into his bed. He was going to go to sleep and when he’d wake up, all of this would have been a bad dream.

\---

It was almost a miracle in itself but Link actually managed to fall asleep. He woke up to insistent knocking. His eyes opened slowly. He was feeling disoriented. The curtains were open, and the midday sun was shining on his face. _Why am I sleeping during the day?_ But then the reality crashed on to him. Link groaned and hid his face under a pillow. He wanted to go back to sleep. He wanted to dive back into the oblivion. What was he going to tell his mother? His co-workers? The knocking continued. Link sighed and slouched to the door.

“Charles!”

Link heard her voice before the door opened enough to reveal her behind it. His stomach sunk and his shoulders hunched.

“Catherine,” he said quietly. He was waiting for a berating; harsh words and sneers. His whole body readied for the onslaught he was sure was about to hit him. But to his surprise, Catherine stepped into the apartment and wrapped her arms gently around Link.

“Oh, poor baby. I came as soon as I saw it. Come on, let’s go sit down,” Catherine said, voice hushed. She guided Link to the living room. Link followed her feeling numb. This made no sense. He must be dreaming still. They sat down, Catherine still holding onto Link.

“What are you..?” Link tried asking perplexed.

“I know it feels horrible now, but everything is going to be all right. They have to print a correction. No one’s gonna believe it anyway. No one whose opinion we care about. Okay? I already called Daddy. He’s looking into lawyers in case we have to get legal advice.”

“Catherine, I…” Link started. His voice broke and a sob rocked his body. He shouldn’t be feeling like this. There was nothing bad about being gay - about being mistaken for one. Why did it feel like the end of the world for him? He must be a horrible person; he must be a homophobe without realising. 

Catherine pulled him into another tight hug and slowly pet his hair. Link clung onto her. He felt like he had been drowning and the person he least expected was holding their hand to him to pull him out of the water. She was here. She was helping. Link couldn’t believe it. Catherine was muttering small reassurances into his ear. Suddenly, Link felt ashamed by his surprise. Had the past few months really messed with his mind this much? Of course, Catherine would help. She loved him. And he loved her. He did. It wasn’t a heated kind of feeling; it was made of comfort and shared values.

“Oh, honey. No need to cry. It’s gonna be okay. I’m gonna take care of you. Have you called your parents?”

“No,” Link muttered against her neck.

“Let’s call right now. You’ll feel better, I promise. Come on,” Catherine was coaxing him. Everything was going to work out. They could fix this. Feeling dazed, Link got his phone out and they called his parents. Catherine did most of the talking. By the end of the call, she and her mother were laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. The tightness in Link’s chest was not letting up, though. He felt like interrupting them. He felt like screaming; felt like objecting. _So what if I was gay? It’s not a crime. It’s not something dirty and wrong._ But the words got caught in his throat and then the call was disconnected.

“Can you message that woman who works with him? They’ll probably make some kind of a statement. We should ask her to clarify you are not involved,” Catherine said and got up.

“Stevie? Oh, I guess,” Link said and opened the messaging app. She’d been texting him, even called a couple of times. Link opened the messages. She was asking if he’d seen the articles. She sounded worried. Link just wrote: _“Can you please include in your statement that I’m not with him? Thanks.”_ The message was already sent when the words he’d used really sunk in. Link felt a lump in his throat. The message was snippy. Link was not snippy. Not to Stevie.

“Hey, I gotta make another call. Gonna step out for a while,” he called into the kitchen where Catherine was making coffee.

“Okay. You sure you don’t want me to call with you?” Catherine asked, voice raised to reach Link.

“Oh no, it’s for work. Would be a bit strange,” Link said and got out of the apartment.

Link opted for the staircase. As he descended he pressed ‘call’. Stevie answered almost instantly.

“I’m sorry. Stevie, I’m sorry about the message. I’m not thinking clearly. I didn’t mean it to be so… I’m sorry,” Link rushed the apology out. 

“Oh no. Don’t worry about it. I get it. I wasn’t offended. Of course, I’ll add that.”

“Thank you,” Link sighed. Suddenly, he felt totally listless. He dropped to sit on the step he was on. His head thumped against the wall. He was about to sob again.

“Stevie?” His voice was trembling.

“Link, are you okay?” Stevie’s voice was low and worried.

“Am I bad person?” Link whispered and closed his eyes willing the tears to dry.

“What?! No, Link, what are you talking about?”

“Have I ever made you think that I… that I don’t support you and Em? That I’m _intolerant_?”

“No! Where is this coming from? Is this because you want the correction? It doesn’t mean that you’re a homophobe, Link. You’re in a relationship with someone else. It’s logical you’d want this to be rectified.”

“But I’m not.”

“You’re not what?” Stevie asked sounding more and more confused. Link knew he was barely making any sense.

“Not in a relationship. Well, I wasn’t last night when I came to the hospital. I left her. We broke up. I - Fuck! I don’t even know anymore! She’s here now and everything she says makes so much sense and I want to… I don’t know what I want anymore,” Link sighed.

“Link?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have feelings for Rhett?”

A silence fell between them. Link couldn’t believe she just straight up asked him that. 

“Stevie, I’m not gay.”

“I didn’t ask if you were. I asked whether you have feelings for Rhett,” Stevie said voice even and clear. 

“That’s the same thing! It’s easy for you! You’ve always known! I don’t… I can’t. Goddamn it, Stevie! I can’t be gay!” Link was yelling. The staircase amplified his words, carried them down and up and echoed them back to him. _Gay. Gay. Gay._ The word pounded in his head making him feel sick to his stomach. 

“I’m gonna sidestep that whole ‘it’s easy for you’ thing for now because I understand you’re confused and hurting. But know that were gonna get back to it at some point,” Stevie said sternly and Link felt like sinking into the ground. She had just been attacked on the street because of who she was dating. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered.

“Mm-hmm. Anyway, you don’t have to be gay. You don’t have to be anything right now. You can question your sexuality. You can spend time figuring it out. You probably should at some point, but what I really want to know right now is, do you have feelings for Rhett?”

Link sighed, deep and resigned. “Yeah.”

“I figured.”

“But it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?”

“I can’t be with him. I want to. I really do. I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s… God, he’s so beautiful. And smart and funny and kind. He’s perfect. I tried to be his friend. I thought that would be enough but I just ended up hurting him. I don’t want him to hurt. Especially not because of me! And if we were together, if we tried, I’d hurt him again. I’d hurt him worse.”

“Link. You can’t know that!”

“I can. I would. I’m fucked up, Stevie. He deserves someone good. Someone who treats him right. I - that can’t be me. I’m poison.”

Link knew what he needed to do now. He felt the determination puffing up his chest. He was certain. This had to be done.

“Link, please! Think about this,” Stevie was pleading now.

“I have. Thank you, Stevie. You’ve really helped me. I’m grateful. I’m not gonna hurt him anymore,” Link said voice even. “You can’t tell him anything I said today.”

“Link, I can’t…”

“Stevie, promise me!”

“I promise,” Stevie mumbled. She couldn’t have sounded more sarcastic even if she tried. Link shook his head and almost laughed out loud. 

“I don’t think you mean that. Promise on Em’s life.”

“Don’t make me do that!” 

“Promise.”

“Fine, I promise on Em’s life that I won’t tell Rhett anything you said today. But I think you’re making a mistake.”

“We’ll agree to disagree then. Tell him… tell him I’m honoring his request. He’ll understand. I won’t see him again. I can’t see you guys again either. I’m sorry. Tell Em I really care about her. Take good care of them.”

“Link!”

“Bye, Stevie.”

Link ended the call. He felt resolute. He felt like his head was finally clear. This is how he could show Rhett he loved him. And he did - he did love him, in a way he’d never loved anyone before. But Rhett was not meant for him. Rhett would forget him and find someone sweet and cute. Someone who would not make him cry. Someone who loved him like he should be loved. Not this twisted thing that Link had inside. 

He walked back to his apartment. Catherine was pouring the coffee in the kitchen.

“Hey! How did it go? Are you hungry? We should order us some food,” she said with her back turned. Link walked up to her. He wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her neck. Catherine turned and wrapped her hands around his shoulders. She smiled at him.

“Thank you,” Link whispered pressing his forehead against hers. 

“Mm-hmm,” she just answered. They stood like that for a moment. Then Catherine turned and got back to coffee maker. Link sat at the counter and pulled up a delivery app.

“What are you in the mood for?” he asked.

“Anything you’d like,” she answered.

“Chinese?” Link suggested.

“Oh, no, I don’t feel like Chinese. Let’s get sushi.”

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Mick. I love you. <3


	13. Detached

It had been three months and four days since Link had seen Rhett. But it wasn’t like he was counting. He just knew. The time apart felt like a physical distance; like Rhett was thousands of miles away when in reality he was right across the hall. In the beginning when Link was alone, he would sit in his foyer back against the door, not doing anything; just to be that much closer to him. He didn’t do that anymore.

The media hubbub around the attack had died down after a few weeks. Rhett, Stevie and Emma had done multiple interviews, talking about gay rights and homophobia. Link watched them all without telling Catherine. She’d been happy to hear Link was making a clean break with Rhett and his friends and Link knew that watching them would only become an argument. So he watched at work, locked in a bathroom with headphones on. Stevie was outspoken and got riled up easily. Emma was funny and sweet; a perfect balance for her girlfriend. Rhett was eloquent and calm. In all of the interviews, Rhett made a point to mention that the man in the pictures was just a friend. 

Link drank him up with his eyes. He memorized the planes of his face the best that he could through the tiny phone screen; he saved up the cadence of his voice. Link made a memory box for Rhett in his mind and lovingly placed him in the fluffiest of cotton, topped the box with crinkly tissue paper and closed the lid. 

Catherine had found the ring two months ago and, without any discussion, had started wearing it. When Link asked about it, she just shrugged and said, “Well, it’s mine, isn’t it?” Link couldn’t think of anything to say to that. Secretly, he was glad he didn’t have to do the actual proposing. It was easier this way. After a few weeks, they went to the jeweller and changed the ring. 

Catherine had wanted to move to San Diego as soon as possible but Link insisted on finishing his project at work. He was really enjoying overseeing it and he felt like it was his responsibility to see it through. It was almost finished now, and Link had just broken his lease. He had until the end of the month to vacate. All of it still seemed a bit unreal to him. Catherine kept nagging at him to start packing but he kept putting it off. He still had a few weeks.

\--

“Congratulations, Link. You guys did a great job. Your team hasn’t been able to stop praising you. We really need more guys like you in our management team. Which reminds me, I have to ask you again. Are you sure we couldn’t tempt you to stay?” Link’s manager asked him. He sounded sincere and Link smiled back at him. Despite the smile, he felt a pang of sadness.

“Thank you. I appreciate that. I had a great team. They’re the ones who should be praised. And I’m sorry, but no, I’ve already started packing. We’re excited about San Diego. I did enjoy working here, though.”

His superior nodded and stood up. He offered Link his hand which Link shook firmly.

“If you happen to change your mind, don’t hesitate to contact us. Now, I have an inkling that there might be some cake in the conference room. You should go and celebrate.”

“Thank you.”

Link stepped out of the office feeling light and happy. He dug out his phone to call… His mood sank as his stomach did. What he really wanted to do was to call Rhett. He was the reason Link had gotten the project in the first place. Link wouldn’t have even applied without his support and encouragement. Link put his phone away and walked to the restroom. He stared at himself in the mirror.

 _We’re excited about San Diego._ That was a half-truth. He was fine with it. He’d made his peace with it. Catherine, on the other hand, was actually excited. She kept talking about all the friends she’d been missing and all the restaurants they’d get to go and eat at. Link smiled and nodded and tried so hard to match Catherine’s energy. But the most prevalent feeling during the last couple of months had been an all-encompassing numbness. 

After Link made the decision to stay with Catherine, his unusually determined mood had only lasted a few days. Then, the sorrow dug in and it burrowed deep. Link found it was almost impossible to rip its claws out. So, when the numbness came, Link had welcomed it with open arms. He still missed Rhett though. He just wasn’t actively thinking about him anymore; Rhett kind of just resided in Link’s mind. He was always present.

Link skipped the cake. He didn’t feel like faking happiness for the crowd. He took his briefcase and walked to the park, bought a coffee and sat in his spot. He realized this might be one of the last times he sat here. The thought made him feel glum. As he was sipping from the cup, a cloud moved and suddenly the sun was shining on his face, forcing him to close his eyes. An image of Rhett squinting at him, sunglasses perched on his head, flitted to Link’s mind. Link smiled at the memory. He usually tried to chase memories like this away as soon as they surfaced but he let this one stay. He wrapped himself in the warmth of it.

After some time, he let the image of Rhett float away again and got up with a soft sigh. He glanced at his wristwatch. If he hurried, he could catch the next bus. He’d have the apartment to himself tonight. Catherine had gone to San Diego to look at houses. They still hadn’t found one that matched Catherine’s long and detailed checklist. Link had given up the search weeks ago. Catherine didn’t seem to mind looking on her own, but Link was starting to get worried they’d have to move in with Catherine’s parents for a while. 

Link felt like he should celebrate the successfully completed project somehow. He did feel proud of his accomplishment, so shouldn’t he mark the occasion somehow? Maybe he could get some good food and – he sighed. Eating alone wasn’t really a proper celebration. Maybe he’d just go to bed early.

\---

Link was sitting on his bed, scrolling through a site. He’d finally settled on a way to celebrate. He hadn’t done this in a long while. Not because he felt ashamed of it. But Catherine had basically moved in after they got back together and in the last three months, Link had rarely been alone at home. And he wasn’t about to pop open a tab of gay porn while Catherine lay in the bed next to him. The idea made him chuckle.

He’d stripped fully naked, because why the hell not, and was sprawled on the bed in all his glory. He wasn’t exactly hard, but he was fast on his way there, just from looking at the previews. In the back of his mind, he knew that at some point he’d have to do some re-labelling; it was now clear to him that he wasn’t entirely straight. But that was something future-Link had to worry about. Present-Link had just found an interesting enough video and was sinking fast and hard into a fantasy about being spit-roasted by two guys.

Link was really getting into it, hand pumping his lubed-up cock, breath coming out in ragged huffs when the video abruptly ended. Link growled in annoyance. He’d forgotten to check the run time. It was one of those preview things that linked to another site. In the heat of the moment, Link just clicked one of the suggested videos on the sidebar. The video started loading and since he was already well past foreplay, Link clicked further. It took forever for the video to start playing and Link kept slowly jerking his cock to keep himself going. Finally the screen flashed and Link was looking at a blond twinky guy being pounded on a couch by a tall, lean bearded guy. Link froze.

He let go of himself. His chest was tightening and his eyes were beginning to burn. The camera angle changed and the screen was filled with _his_ face. Link hit pause. God, he was gorgeous. Link’s hand rose and he slowly drew his fingers across the screen, imagining that he was actually caressing his face.

”Rhett,” he whispered. The name fell from his lips like a prayer.

Rhett looked a bit younger. It was probably an older video. It was still him; so painfully him. Link drew a ragged breath. He hovered over the play button. He shouldn’t. This was something he’d been adamant not to do. He’d pledged not to watch him, not to think of him when he touched himself. Even if he could get over the fact of how painful it would be, it felt a bit wrong somehow. Like he was trespassing. Obviously, Rhett had done these videos knowing full well anyone could watch them, so it wasn’t like Link would be doing something morally wrong but it still felt a bit dirty to him. 

If he hadn’t been this far gone, he probably would have had enough self-discipline to click away from the video. But his cock was throbbing between his legs and Rhett was right there, basically close enough to touch. It was all too enticing. Link pressed play and sent a silent apology to whatever higher power would judge him for it. 

Link stared at the scene eyes wide, jaw slack. The other guy was thrown over the headrest of a couch and Rhett was taking him from behind, one foot on the floor and the other on the couch. Obviously, they were angled in a way that the penetration could be clearly seen. The other guy was making repeated whiny sounds. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. As did Rhett. He was moving his hips in blunt, shallow thrusts and biting his lower lip, grunting once in a while. Link’s hand found its way back to his cock and he squeezed, almost too hard, making himself draw a sharp breath. Seeing Rhett like this, actually fucking someone, was making Link’s mind go into overdrive. He started to imagine...

_Rhett is suddenly standing in the doorway of Link’s bedroom. He is leaning against the door frame, smirking at Link. He looks perfect; hair coiffed, shoulders taut, thighs thick and strong._

_”Enjoying yourself?” he asks voice drawling, his southern accent peeking through._

_”Not nearly as much as I could,” Link answers, smiling at him, touching himself slowly. Presenting himself at his most vulnerable for Rhett to enjoy._

_”Need a hand?”_

_”A hand, a mouth, a cock. Anything you’re willing to give to me,” Link answers, his voice straining with need. Rhett moves closer. Sheds his shirt on the floor. Kicks out of his shoes. Opens his pants, lets them slide into the floor. He’s hard already, hanging heavy and thick between his legs. Link licks his lips. He’s a vision. Literally._

_”It’s all yours. Take your pick,” Rhett says moving his hands; squeezing his cock, slipping a few of his fingers into his mouth. Sucking on them with an obscene slurp. Link shivers._

_”Fuck me,” Link whimpers, feeling the heat in his belly lick at his spine, travel to his neck and cheeks as the confession splis from his lips. This is what he wants the most. Wants to feel Rhett take him; own him. A dashing smile spreads across Rhett’s face._

_”You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to say those words,” he murmurs. He crawls on the bed, takes a hold of Link’s hips and roughly yanks him towards himself. Link yelps and laughs but his laughter dies quickly as Rhett’s mouth is on his cock; licking, nibbling, humming against it. Link squirms under the onslaught. Rhett sticks his fingers in his mouth with Link’s dick, rubs them against it and wets them with his spit._

_”Fuck, Rhett. That feels…amazing,” Link mumbles breathless. Rhett laughs, low and sweet, the vibration of it traveling along Link’s length and burrowing into his ass at the same time as Rhett’s fingers do._

Link reached between his legs and slipped a finger into himself. He whimpered at the unfamiliar feeling. It was strange and good at the same time. It felt right. Link shifted on the bed, trying to get to a better position. He needed to get deeper. He needed to really feel it. Feel him. _I need a toy. Why don’t I have a toy?_ The thought flitted through his mind as he pushed in further. He slowly started to work himself open, like he imagined Rhett would. Rhett on the screen was sitting on the couch now, the other guy riding him, praising his length. Link just concentrated on the sound of Rhett grunting with pleasure.

_”Mmm, baby. You’re so tight. Lovely. Gonna take you so sweet, so right. Like you were made for me to fuck. Gonna make you whimper and beg. You want that? Want me inside of you?” Rhett mutters against Link’s cock. His fingers are scissoring inside Link, sending flashes of pleasure up his spine. Link pushes against them and breathes deep, tries to get used to the stretch, tries to figure how to best take it. It’s too much and not enough at the same time and Link is already on the verge of begging._

_”Rhett,” he mumbles. ”I want you. Never wanted anyone like I want you. I’d let you do anything to me. Use me how you see fit. Make me beg, make me suffer, do whatever. As long as I get to feel you.”_

_Rhett gets on his knees, lifts Links legs against his chest and takes a hold of his cock._

_”Do we need something…?” he’s asking eyebrow cocked and Link laughs._

_”It’s a fantasy. Just fuck me already.”_

_And Rhett laughs too and pushes in, fills Link up to the brim. It all happens in a one hard thrust that shouldn’t take Link by surprise but he imagines it does. Link moans, writhes against him. He feels small and used and oh-so-fucking-good. Like out-of-this-world-good._

_”Ohh,” he moans. ”More. Make me yours. Harder.”_

_Rhett grunts and flips him over. His palm presses Link’s face into the mattress and his other hand digs into Link’s waist as he pounds into him. Link screams. The pleasure is too much; it’s dirty and beautiful all at the same time. It’s taking his breath away. It’s making him something other. He floats away and breathes in short shallow breaths. He backs up against Rhett’s hot thickness and mewls._

_”Taking it like the little slut you are. Fuck, Link! You’re gonna make me cum so hard. You’re gonna be dripping my cum all week long. Gonna fill you up so good.”_

Link in real life had gotten on all fours as well. He’d managed to get two fingers into him, deep and sweet, and he panted hard, cheek pressed against the covers, drool pooling on the sheet under his mouth. In the video, the other guy was screaming, repeating that he was close, calling Rhett his daddy. Link slammed the laptop closed. He wanted to be alone with Rhett when he came. He was close. He managed to get his other hand on his dripping cock and yanked on it desperate and sweaty.

”I’m gonna cum,” he gasped.

 _”Show me how you scream for me, baby. Tell the world who owns this ass,” Rhett growls as his palm lands on Link’s bottom with a sharp slap. Link yelps. Rhett just burrows deeper into him, making Link’s thighs shake and his insides spark. So close. So very close. Just a little more. Just a bit deeper and..._

”Rhettttt!” Link growled shoving his fingers deeper inside himself. His voice was hoarse from heavy breathing. His balls tightened and his vision blurred. He came with an earth shattering tremble. He felt his asshole pulse around his fingers and the feeling made the orgasm that much better. A low groan rose from his throat and he kept pumping spurts of cum out of himself. His cock kept pulsating in his hand for so long he started actually worry there would be no end. When the last swell of pleasure ebbed away from him, he crashed on the bed, right on the mess he’d made. He was spent, exhausted, satisfied.

”I love you.” The words slipped from his lips. A wish. A hope. Something you say, but know will make no difference. Link smiled.

But when the last whispers of the lust eventually washed away, the satisfaction went with it. A cloud of deep shame and sorrow wrapped around Link. He tugged his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He’d never felt this alone. He closed his eyes and fought the feeling. The feeling of dread. The feeling of loss. The feeling of his soul shattering all over again.

And again, after all these months, Link cried himself to sleep thinking of Rhett.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again, Mick. You are the loveliest person and the most helpful beta. I love you. <3


	14. Epiphany

Link woke up a few hours later, naked and shivering. The shame that washed over him as he took in his surroundings – the messy sheets and the closed laptop – almost made him break into tears again. He swallowed hard, got up and slinked into the shower. The warm water helped but it still couldn’t fill the void that had opened up inside him. Hair still dripping he pulled on some of his softest pajamas and went to assess the damage in the bedroom.

When the sullied sheets were in the wash and the laptop safely tucked away with Rhett purged from its screen, Link stood in the kitchen staring at the wall clock. It was midnight. Hunger gnawed at his belly and since his day had already been filled with bad decisions he decided to continue the streak and order some of his favorite greasy Chinese food. He got out his phone and noted that Catherine had texted him about a potential house. He ignored the messages. After the order went through he chose a wine at random and poured himself a too big of a glass of a red that would definitely not pair well with the food.

Link sat on the couch and turned the TV on. After a few minutes, he turned it off. He was not in the mood. Instead, he got up and picked a record to listen to. Soon, a purposefully chosen melancholy melody filled the room. Link curled up under a fluffy blanket and wallowed.

The delivery guy interrupted his self-pity for a moment but he got back to it soon enough, now with the addition of artery blocking food that he forked down without actually tasting any of it. When he was done he threw the empty containers on the floor. The music swelled and he kept staring at the mess on the floor. Finally, he had to get up. The act of littering his living room floor was a bit too much for his neat nature and he actually gave himself a small smile and shook his head.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Link said to himself.

Link threw the containers in the trash and got back to the living room. It was late and even though he didn’t feel like going back to bed, he was going to. He was putting the record back in its place when he noticed a white corner peeking from one of the record jackets. Link frowned and pulled an envelope out. He was met with his own name written in shaky letters. His stomach sank. He’d forgotten about the letter.

Link backed into the couch and sank down on it, holding the letter with his fingertips like it was a bomb. His mind instantly conjured up the memory of the night before the letter had appeared on his doorstep. He felt himself straddling Rhett and their mouths pressing together all wet, warm and needy. He felt the heated embrace, Rhett’s hands on his ass, his own fingers slipping into Rhett's boxers, the way Rhett gasped his name when he touched him. Link’s stomach clenched and he gasped for air. He remembered the need he’d felt. It felt like it had happened in another life; like it had happened to someone else entirely.

He stared at the envelope. He shouldn’t. He was certain only pain and misery waited for him should he open it. Why hadn’t he thrown it away then? 

But Rhett had wanted for him to read this. Shouldn’t Link honor his wish? It was a small thing. Just a few words. Link was already miserable, how much worse could it get?

Link hadn’t made a conscious decision when his fingers were already ripping open the envelope. A folded paper dropped from it and he scrambled to fold it open. His heart was beating in his throat and at first he had trouble concentrating on the words. The lines jumped around and the letters jumbled up in a mess of unintelligible syllables. Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _You can do this. Do it for him._ He heard Rhett’s voice in his head as he read the words.

_Link,_

_First of all, I want to apologize. I know you were willing (I mean you’re the one that climbed on my lap) but I do know I shouldn’t have reciprocated. I don’t mess with people who are taken. At least I haven’t before last night. I had a lapse of judgment and I am deeply sorry. I could use a million excuses. I could say it was late and you woke me up and that I wasn’t in my right mind... But if I’m being completely honest, I would’ve kissed you back in the middle of the day after the best night’s sleep I’d ever had. What can I say? You make me weak._

_I’ve tried reaching you and I get why you’re not answering. It’s probably easier to shut me out. I bet I can relate to the confusion in your mind right now. It’s never easy, realizing you’re different, realizing that maybe you want to take a different path than the one everyone’s been telling you to take all your life. I don’t know much about your upbringing but since you grew up in the South I can imagine. If it was even a little bit like mine, I can understand your hesitancy to move away from the so-called normal._

_I don’t claim to know what's going on in your head right now. But I know this. You deserve better than her. I think somewhere deep inside you already know this and maybe you’ve even been waiting for someone to say it to you. So here it is. She is vile. She is manipulative and she’s narcissistic. She’s trying to make you into something she thinks is suitable for her life plan. You’re not her project. You’re you._

_You’re sweet and kind and caring and funny and smart and strong and a complete dork. You don’t get hints even when they slam you in the face. And speaking of faces, you always hide yours when the scary parts come up in the movies. You love color and it loves you. Your smile lights up the gloomiest of rooms. You’re all of this and so much more._

_And I love you. I do. There, I said it. I am in love with you, Link Neal. I think I may have been since the minute I saw your big, blue eyes staring at me in our hallway. I never believed in love at first sight, but with you, I think I might make an exception._

_I know you’re processing a lot and I’d be honored to be by your side, in any capacity, if you need a shoulder to lean on when you figure things out. If friendship is all you’re capable of giving me, I’ll gladly take it. I’ll be the best friend you've ever had. But know this, if you want more, just say the word and all my love is yours._

_It’s possible you don’t want to deal with the confusion you’re feeling. I can’t make you. I just don’t think you should be with her. Leave her. Be the best Link you can be._

_I love you._

_Forever yours, Rhett_

Link brushed a tear off the paper and it smudged some of the words. He read it again. And again. He devoured Rhett’s words. He memorized them. He pressed the letter against his heart and willed the words to transfer through his skin and find a home there, right under his rib cage. 

Then he got his phone out. It rang for a long time. Link was tapping his foot on the floor. _Come on, pick up!_

“Charles?” Catherine finally answered groggily. She sounded half-asleep.

“Sorry for waking you,” Link said quickly.

“What time is it?” Catherine mumbled over Link’s halfhearted apology.

“Almost one a.m.,” Link answered.

“Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?” Catherine snapped. A sharp edge of annoyance cut through her voice but it only made Link smile now. It was like she’d been unmasked by Rhett’s words. All the things Link had always thought were his shortcomings were actually just her. Link couldn’t understand why he hadn’t seen it before. It was so evident. Link wasn't a constant failure Catherine had to endure. Instead, she was simply like that; selfish, quick to anger and petty.

“I want to wear graphic tees,” Link blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

“What?” Catherine asked sounding confused. 

“I want to eat Chinese food when I feel like it and I want to watch Survivor. It’s not stupid. It’s fun. Do you know what that is? Fun? Do you ever have fun? Or do you just enjoy making others feel miserable?”

“Charles, what the hell?! Did you hit your head or something?”

“No. I just finally see things clearly. And by the way, I hate to be called Charles. My name is Link.”

“Okay. I’m hanging up. You’re being ridiculous and rude. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Catherine was seething. Her anger crashed in waves through the phone line and drenched Link from head to toe. He shook away an involuntary shiver. Her anger still made him extremely uncomfortable; he felt like a kicked puppy desperate to please their master. He hated that feeling. He refused to feel it anymore.

“No, we won’t! Don’t you get it? This is me breaking up with you. You can keep the ring. I don’t care.”

“Charles!”

“Good night.”

And with that Link ended the call. Dumbfounded, he stared at the phone for a moment. Had he really done that? He burst into laughter. He laughed and laughed until he was hiccuping and wiping away tears. The void in him began to slowly fill up. His phone was flashing. Catherine was calling him back. Link didn’t answer. He left the phone on the couch and went to bed. He fell asleep feeling better than he had in ages.

\---

Link woke up with a startle. A pillow had been thrown at his face. It smacked right on his nose and he grunted more from the surprise than the pain. But it did smart a bit. He moved it away and blinked slowly trying to orient himself. His curtains had been drawn open and Catherine was standing next to the bed, hands on her hips.

“Good morning,” Link said groggily.

“Fuck your morning! Get up and apologize,” Catherine snarled.

Link propped himself on his elbow and brushed his hair out of his forehead. He squinted at Catherine’s blurry figure and grabbed his glasses. She sharpened and Link was surprised to see that she was kind of a mess. Her face was contorted, hair frizzy and eyes bloodshot. She looked like she hadn’t slept much.

“It’s good that you came,” Link started. Something flashed in Catherine’s eyes. She thought Link was about to take it all back. She was waiting for him to grovel. Link smiled.

“I really need my key back. You can leave it on the kitchen counter.”

“Excuse me?!”

“The spare key. To my apartment. I want it back,” Link repeated, purposefully spelling it out for her. The fury radiating off of her was almost visible. Link wrapped his arms loosely around his knees and waited. He was used to Catherine’s outbursts. Now that he thought about it, he’d been too used to them. That was not normal. Usually he would have been trying to pacify her with all that was in his arsenal: praise, agreement and apologies. Not anymore, though.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! Is this some kind of a prank? Is there a camera crew in the closet waiting to tell me I’ve been selected to the worst reality show in the history of television? Huh? What the fuck, Charles?”

“Nope, sorry. No one in the closet,” Link answered. _Except me._ He laughed out loud at the thought. Catherine scowled at him.

“What are you laughing about?”

“Nothing. Just a stupid joke I thought of. You know? Ha ha,” Link said, still smiling pleasantly. 

“I – I can’t– Charles, what is this? You’ve never acted like this. Are – are you _on_ something?” she was stammering.

“No. And again, it’s Link.”

“I’m not gonna call you Link! That’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard! It’s not even a name… it’s a – it’s a… I don’t even know. It’s a joke!”

“It’s my name, though, so you should use it regardless of how you feel about it,” Link said.

“It’s not even your real name! Your name is Charles. I’m using your real name!”

“I can see we’re going on a tangent here. I really don’t care what you call me from now on since I won’t be there to hear it. You about done with… whatever this is?” Link asked sighing. He got up from the bed and walked by Catherine. 

“Don’t you dare walk away from me! We’re not done!” Catherine screamed and grabbed Link’s arm. Link turned and looked at her fingers digging into his arm painfully. He yanked hard but her grip wouldn’t loosen.

“Let go of me, please. You’re hurting me,” Link said voice steady and firm, looking straight at Catherine. She made a small throat sound, almost like she’d been punched.

“I’m hurting you? Me?! Charles, please. You’re hurting _me_ ,” Catherine whined and finally let go of Link. She covered her face with her hands and shook her shoulders. Link frowned. A pitiful whimpering came from behind her palms.

“Don’t. I know you don’t cry. This whole faking thing is just sad,” Link said with an annoyed huff and walked into the kitchen. He was rubbing his arm. He could almost feel the bruises forming. He realized they wouldn't be the first ones Catherine had given him. The thought made him nauseous. He'd been so blind. He got out coffee beans and the coffee grinder. This morning required fresh coffee. Catherine followed him into the kitchen. She’d abandoned the fake crying and was looking at Link with an angry scowl.

“It’s him, isn’t it?”

“Who?” Link asked absentmindedly as he measured the beans.

“That guy next door. Was he here last night? It that it? Did he fuck you? You do know that’s a sin? You gonna be with him now? You think I haven’t seen how you drool over him? It’s disgusting. You do realize your parents are never gonna approve. They’re gonna disown you. You’re not gonna get your job back either if you’re getting fucked by a porn star. We both know that. You won’t have anything. Just some meaningless, repugnant sex with a man who fucks around for money. You’re gonna be miserab….”

The coffee grinder drowned out Catherine’s voice for a few sweet seconds.

“…could’ve had a good life. Respectable life. And you choose that…that abomination!”

Link turned to look at her. His gaze burrowed into her and for the first time ever, she was silenced merely by Link’s wordless order.

“First of all, the only one abominable here is _you_ , Catherine. That whole rant about disgusting and what-not… I know you have no real grasp on the concept of love so this might be hard for you to understand but love is love. The genders of two consenting partners don’t matter in the slightest. And honestly, no one cares what you think. Secondly, I haven’t seen Rhett in over three months. No one’s been fucked. Well, to be totally transparent, we did kiss once, months ago. It was actually pretty amazing…” Link’s voice trailed off as the memory washed over him. Catherine gasped.

“I knew it!” she yelled, wagging her finger at Link. 

“I do apologize about that. I should’ve just broken things off with you before doing any of that. But I was confused. So very confused. And your manipulative behavior was not helping. I am doing the right thing now, though. You should be glad. Would you really want to get married with someone who doesn’t want you?”

“Do you think I cared about our pitiful sex life? I've had multiple guys on the side this whole time!” Catherine spat at Link. Link huffed a laugh.

“Really? Wow. Good for you. Thanks for telling me. Makes this even easier. Key please,” Link requested and held out his hand. Catherine just stared at his palm but did nothing. Finally, Link let his hand fall and shrugged.

“I guess I can just change the locks,” he mumbled and got out a frying pan and some eggs.

“Fine!” Catherine growled, dug the key from her pocket and flung it across the kitchen, barely missing Link. It tinged against the window and bounced on the floor.

“Thanks,” Link said without looking at her or the key. He was cracking the eggs on the pan.

“Fuck you, _Charles_. Have fun burning in hell. And I’m keeping the ring.”

“Lovely. And as I said, I don’t care.”

Catherine’s fingers curled into fists and she screamed, raw and loud. It was almost an animalistic shriek. Link jerked at the sound and turned to look at her, eyebrows raised.

“You should really talk to a professional about your anger issues.”

“Go fuck yourself,” Catherine muttered and turned to march towards the door.

“Already did, thank you!” Link called sweetly after her. He heard the apartment door open and close with a slam. His breakfast had never tasted as good as it did that morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mick, I can't thank you enough. This chapter would not be half as good without your input! <3


	15. Unearthed

Link went around the apartment, room to room and stripped it from anything that belonged to Catherine or reminded Link of her. He boxed her things and taped it up. He had no intention of calling her about it; he would just mail it. Link carried the box next to his door and gave it a satisfied pat.

He called his landlord asking if he could still renew his lease. Unfortunately, his place had already been taken. The landlord sounded apologetic but there was nothing he could do. Link sat on the couch after the call and pouted. He’d have to go apartment hunting and he’d have to go yesterday.

After looking up some potential listings, Link pulled on some smart clothes and fixed his hair. He looked in the mirror before stepping out of his apartment. He was pleased to see he looked respectable and charming. A perfect picture of a reputable tenant candidate. Link gave himself a small wink and opened the door. The scene in the hallway took him by surprise.

Rhett’s door was open and he was standing in his doorframe wearing a black tee and black boxer briefs. His arm was wrapped around a slim brunette guy who had to be at least a head shorter than Rhett. The guy was wrapped around Rhett and standing on his tiptoes. They were kissing. Link’s stomach sank.

Rhett broke the kiss and his head whipped up. His eyes widened at the sight of Link.

“Oh,“ Link breathed. “Sorry. Um… good morning.”

The guy turned. Of course, he was a looker: delicate features, dark brown eyes and a darn cute smile. The jealousy was causing Link almost physical pain. He fought to keep the small, polite smile on his face.

“Morning, neighbor!” the guy said happily. He was still holding onto Rhett’s waist. Rhett’s hand dropped to his side. He was staring at Link. The guy glanced up at him, frowned and continued, “And no need to apologize. Sorry for the PDA.”

“Oh, I don’t mind. Just passing through. Carry on,“ Link muttered, forced a chuckle and made his legs to move towards the elevator. He didn’t turn back even though he heard Rhett’s voice. He was probably speaking to the guy anyway. Link kept his head down until the elevator was moving down. As he descended, he pressed his forehead against the cool metal wall and let out a small, pitiful whine. His heart was beating out of his throat and his whole body was shaking. His mind was cruel and conjured up images of Rhett in bed with the brunette. Link felt slightly nauseous.

It had been stupid to assume that Rhett would pine for him. Link hadn’t even thought it consciously, but when he saw them embracing, his mind had reeled. Rhett had moved on. Of course he had, Link admonished himself. He was an amazing guy and good looking one as well. That was actually kind of an understatement – he was sexy as hell. Those kinds of people didn’t stay single for long. Unless they wanted. Obviously, Rhett hadn’t wanted. _You really shouldn’t feel this heartbroken about this. You lost him months ago..._

Link’s Uber was already waiting and he climbed in, greeting the driver and taking his phone out to show that he was not in the mood to talk. Either the driver was not a talker or the trick worked since they drove in silence. Link used the time to spiral into self-pity again. The lines from the letter played on a loop in his mind. It was almost like Rhett was sitting next to him and reciting them back to him.

_You make me weak._

_I am in love with you, Link Neal._

_I never believed in love at first sight, but with you, I think I might make an exception._

_… just say the word and all my love is yours._

Link sighed, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his palms. A headache was starting to pound on his temples and his eyes were burning. The lightness of his morning was gone and the weight of his mess-up was starting to settle on his shoulders. He’d missed his chance. He’d taken too long to get here. He’d say the word now; he’d scream it if it made any difference.

_Be the best Link you can be._

Link hung onto that line. He could still do that. He could take Rhett’s advice to heart and be his best. The idea of making Rhett proud made Link’s heart swell. He should do that. It didn’t even matter that Rhett would never actually know that Link had taken his advice; the mere idea of doing it for Rhett made Link happy in a bittersweet way.

“Hey, sorry about this, but I need to change the destination,” Link said, leaning towards the driver. It was silly but he knew where to start.  
\---

Link returned home with bags filled with graphic tees, colorful button-downs and skinny jeans. He’d never had this much fun shopping. He splurged; he bought everything that caught his eye and felt comfortable. At home, he opened his closet and emptied the contents on his bed. He went over them one by one. _Is this me? Do I actually like it?_ After some tough calls, Link had two piles, one for donating and one to put back into the closet. The donation pile was huge. 

Satisfied with his progress, Link decided to have a break and get some sustenance. He was heating up a TV dinner when his phone rang. 

“Hey, Mama,” he answered happily.

“Link,” his mother said in a clipped tone. “I just got off the phone with Catherine…” 

“Of course you did,” Link sighed and his mood immediately sank.

“Charles Lincoln Neal, you drop that tone right at this second! Is it true? Have you broken off the engagement?” 

“I’m sorry, Mama. Yes, it’s true. We’re not together anymore.”

“Well, to be completely honest, I can’t say I’m broken up about that. I never liked her. Such a dry woman. And I always felt like she wasn’t treating you right.”

Link felt like laughing. Had everyone really seen the flaws in their relationship that clearly? Everyone but him. His mother continued.

“But she’s was saying… Well, she was saying all kinds of things that I don’t believe for a second. Can you believe she said you are a homosexual?” His mother let out a tight laugh that stopped short when Link said, ”She’s not exactly wrong about that.” 

Link was livid. He should have known Catherine would out him like this. He should’ve called his mother right away. He had not wanted her to find out this way. From her.

“Excuse me?! You can’t be serious! Is this some kind of a joke?” his mother was starting to sound hysterical. Link sat at the table and leaned his chin against his palm. His chest was tightening. He really didn’t want to have this conversation right now. He wasn’t even completely sure yet what his label would be. He’d barely pushed his toe out of the closet. _Damn Catherine._

“No, it’s not a joke. I’m… I like men,” Link said. That was a true enough statement.

“Link, I can’t - I can’t believe you’re saying this. How long have you been feeling like this? Is this about Catherine? She was just a bad choice. You can find a nice girl who will make you happy. I can have Pastor Adams call you so you can talk with him and…”

“Mama. Stop. It’s not… it’s not something I caught! It’s not an illness that needs curing. This is just me. I’m still Link, your son. I just happen to like guys. It’s not that big of a deal. Talking to Pastor Adams is not gonna change anything. If that makes you feel better I can but I’d rather not.”

“You have to… You can’t just... I can’t talk about this right now. Your father is gonna be devastated!”

“I’m sorry to hear that, mama. I can talk to Dad too if…”

“He’s not home right now. Thank the Lord. Gonna have to find his heart pills before I tell him.”

“Mama, please. Just…” Link tried to find the words he didn’t possess. How could he explain to his mother that barely anything had changed? How could he make her understand when he himself didn’t yet? 

“Those pictures! Was that man your… your… “ his mother was stumbling for the right word. Link didn’t wait for her to find it. He guessed it would not be a nice one.

“No, he was just a friend. Really. Nothing going on between us.”

“Well, at least there’s that. The neighbors would’ve had a field day!”

Link felt a wave of annoyance crash through him.

“He’s a good man. Kind and smart and lovely. You would’ve been lucky to have him as a son-in-law!” 

“Well, I never… I’m… Link, I refuse to talk to you when you’re acting like this. Pastor Adams will be calling you soon. Talk with him! Get your head back on straight. Goodbye.”

The call ended. Link thumped his forehead against the table. Tears stung his eyes and he willed them not to fall. She’d come around. She loved him. That’s what Link hoped for at least. He wasn’t actually sure. He didn’t answer Pastor Adams’ call. There was no call from his father. Link felt relieved. He knew that was a bridge he had to cross at some point, but he was glad it wouldn’t be today. After eating his meal, he returned to his clothes piles.

After his closet was done - all the new clothes happily co-existing with the old ones that he’d deemed worthy - Link attacked all of his other belongings. Over the next few days, he went over everything. He was obsessed. The donation boxes were piling up on the foyer and he had to take some out to make room for more. As he shed the things that were not _him_ , he felt like his soul was being cleansed. It wasn’t a new Link that emerged. It was an old one, someone who’d been there all along, silent and neglected, buried deep behind traditions, expectations and fear. Link slowly dug him out, brushed off the dirt and the dust, fed him and cared for him. The release of his true self was bittersweet. It was like he could breathe again. Food tasted better, colors were brighter, and he just felt more. He cried, he laughed, he wallowed and swooned. Everything was heightened; the good and the bad. 

He got his job back. Actually, he got a management position in the same firm. His boss was more than thrilled when he called and asked to be considered. He even talked himself into a good raise and some vacation time before going back to work. He went to look at apartments too, eventually. Even applied for a few but got none of them. The days rolled by and the end of the month was getting nearer and nearer. A few days before moving day, Link gave up and rented a storage unit.   
He’d have to stay in a motel while he looked for a permanent place. He was not excited about the prospect.

On the morning of moving day, Link woke up feeling exhausted. He’d been packing boxes long into the night and he had to get up early. The movers were coming soon. Link dragged himself out of bed and slouched into the kitchen. He stopped at the fridge where Rhett’s letter was taped up on the door and settled his palm on it for a moment, like he did every morning. He closed his eyes and sighed before starting to make breakfast.

\---

Link dropped a box on top of a teetering pile and wiped off a few beads of sweat from his forehead. He knew he didn’t need to be doing this. He’d already paid the movers and him carrying a few boxes wasn’t gonna make much of a difference to them. But he enjoyed the physical task. It made him feel more in control of his future. Especially now, when he had no idea where he was about to end up. 

He looked at the boxes on the hallway floor and was suddenly transported to that day seven months ago when Rhett had moved in. Link’s gaze flitted to the brass number 69 on the door. It made him smile. Rhett probably thought it was hilarious.

“Hey,” a small voice said from behind him. Link jumped and turned to look at him. It was like Link had conjured him there; he was definitely a vision. Rhett had on a grey t-shirt and black skinny jeans. His shoes were still impossibly white. His hair was impeccably coiffed, and his jade green eyes studied Link with an intensity that made his stomach flip. Rhett looked so familiar that for a second, Link felt like no time had passed since they’d been sitting together at Rhett’s table laughing at stupid jokes, eating one of his experiments. Link’s chest tightened painfully.

“Hi,” he answered quietly.

“Moving day, huh?” Rhett said, motioning towards the boxes.

“Yeah.”

They stood still and silently stared at each other. Link was aching. He wanted to run to him, wanted to wrap around him and press his face into his chest, wanted to smell his scent and tell him everything. Wanted to tell him that he understood now, that he was sorry, that he would never forgive himself for letting him go. Tell him he loved him. 

“Coming from work?” Link asked instead pointing at the car keys in Rhett’s hand. Rhett shook his head.

“No. Gave someone a lift.”

“Oh.” _Probably took his boyfriend home…_

“So, you two finally getting a bigger place then?” Rhett asked. His gaze sank to his toes as he said it and Link was sure his shoulders hunched a little.

“Oh, no. We’re… I’m not with her anymore.”

Rhett’s face whipped up. His eyes were wide, and a small smile was tugging at his lips.

“Really?” The hope in his voice almost made Link burst into tears.

“Yeah. Three weeks ago.”

“Good for you,” Rhett said emphatically.

“I know,” Link said and gave him a small smile.

“I like your shirt,” Rhett said smiling widely now.

Link turned to look at his violently colorful t-shirt and chuckled.

“Yeah. Did some wardrobe management.”

“Looks good on you. I’m – I’m really happy for you, Link,” Rhett said, biting his lip. He suddenly stepped to his door and pushed the key into the lock. “I gotta….”

“Rhett, wait!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big hug for Mick, my Tumblr wife for life. Thanks for correcting my stupid mistakes again. I love you! <3


	16. Just Say The Word

Rhett turned slowly. Link’s hands were shaking. He had to say something. It didn’t matter that Rhett was with someone else. Link wasn’t expecting Rhett to leave him; all he wanted was for Rhett to be happy. But everything that had happened – their friendship, the night spent sleeping in each other’s arms, the kiss, the hospital, the pictures, the letter, Link’s feelings, _all of it_ – was just too big of a mess inside Link head. He was drowning in it. He had to let it out. Everything he wanted to say was mixing into an incomprehensible jumble in his head and eventually, all he got out was, “The word.”

“What?” Rhett stared at him with a confused look on his face. Link wrung his hands and stepped closer.

“I’m saying the word,” Link hurried to explain. “You said in your letter that I only had to say the word if I… But don’t worry! I know you’re with someone else now. I just had to – I need you to know.”

“I don’t…” Rhett started but Link lifted his hand to stop him. He had to get it all out before the rejection.

“All those months ago, we were standing right here for the first time, and I was trying to figure out where I knew you from. You said…you wrote that you fell for me then. I fell for you too. Hard. I’ve never… I mean, I understand now that I’ve had crushes on men before you. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ve always been gay. But you were something else, not a crush. You had kind eyes and your voice made me melt and your touch broke a little piece of my heart and you took it with you that night. And I kept breaking off more pieces. Every time we met after that, I chipped my heart, piece by piece, and I gave them all to you. Your intellect made me swoon and your kindness made me want to be a better person. You made me laugh like I never had before, made me laugh until it hurt, and I still wanted to laugh more just to hear you laughing too. You made me believe in myself. You showed me I was capable and strong. I think by the end you had all of my heart. And I’m glad. Because I was stupid then. I used that strength wrong. I thought I needed to let you go. I thought I was toxic to you. I thought you’d be better off without me. I know it’s too late but... I know… I made the biggest mistake of my life and I’ll never forgive myself for that. But you still have my heart and I want you to keep it,” Link had to stop to draw a breath and wipe away some of the tears blurring his vision.

“Link,” Rhett whispered, voice trembling.

“No, you don’t have to say anything. I get it. I fucked up. I’m sorry I made you listen to all of that. Just one last thing,” Link said. Rhett nodded slowly. Link swallowed and looked him straight in his deep green eyes. He wanted to make these words count. This would be the only time he’d get to say them to him.

“ _I love you._ ”

Rhett was on him in an instant. They crashed against the hallway wall and Rhett was crying into Link’s mouth. “I love you. I love you. I love you.” He was repeating the words between fierce kisses. Link was crushed between him and the wall. His breath had been taken away and he was dizzy and confused and impossibly hard. Rhett was all around him; his tongue in his mouth, his hands in his hair and grabbing onto the back of his shirt. A shred of reason found a way into Link’s mind and he pushed Rhett off of him.

“Whoa! I – Gosh, Rhett. We probably shouldn’t…” Link was trying hard to find the words. His body was fighting his mind. It yearned for Rhett’s lips to return against it. Rhett’s gaze was wild and he was breathing shallow and heavy. His eyebrows threaded together and he growled.

“Are you kidding me?! You basically confessed your love for me and you still won’t… I can’t… Fucking rip my heart out and stomp on it, won’t you?! That would hurt less than this… ” 

Link stared at him, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. Rhett’s hands were tugging at his own hair and he backing away from Link like a trapped animal. Link’s hands shot up in panic.

“Nonononono! Rhett, no, I – honestly, I’d let you take me right here in the hallway! Movers be damned! But your boyfriend might not appreciate that very much...” Link explained, voice strained. Rhett’s hands dropped to his sides and he stared at Link looking bewildered.

“Who?”

“Um… your… I guess boyfriend might not be what you call him? I don’t know… That guy I saw you kissing here that time I…?” Link stumbled over his words. Rhett’s face melted into a bemused smile and he took a step back towards Link.

“Oh, Sam. We’re not together. That was just a… you know, a one-time thing…” Rhett said cheeks flushing crimson. Link’s heart skipped a beat.

“You’re not with him?” Link whispered. His hands rose in front of him like he was offering a hug.

“No. I mean, he’s a really nice guy but honestly I’m kinda hung up on this idiot that has been making my life a complete mess for the last seven months,” Rhett said quietly and stepped into Link’s arms. Link smiled up at him and wrapped himself around Rhett. Link’s cheek pressed into his chest and he drew a deep breath listening to Rhett’s heartbeat.

“Oh? He does sound like an idiot.”

“He really is. But I love him.”

“He loves you too,” Link mumbled against Rhett’s shirt. After a moment of silence, he continued, “Can you forgive me?” 

Link closed his eyes and waited. Rhett’s hand moved to pet Link’s hair, then it slid down to his neck and Rhett bent down to press a small kiss on top of Link’s head.

“Maybe after a while… If you keep showing me that you’re really sorry,” Rhett muttered into Link’s hair. His words were laced with mirth but Link was sure there was truth to them too.

“I will. Every day. I just want to make you happy. Please, let me make you happy,” Link pleaded.

“This is a good start,” Rhett whispered and lifted Link’s face up for a kiss. This time it was slow and tender. Rhett’s hands cupped Link’s face and Link rose on his tiptoes pressing his palms on Rhett’s chest. The rush was gone; the boiling heat had turned to a low simmer. Link’s hands slipped behind Rhet and climbed slowly up his back pressing them closer together. 

An awkward cough startled them before the kiss could become more heated. One of the movers was standing at Link’s door. Link straightened his glasses that had been nudged askew and turned to look at the man with a polite smile across his fiercely blushing face.

“Yes?”

“These are the last boxes,” the guy said with an amused smile on his face rapping his knuckles on the pile of boxes next to them.

“Oh. Um, okay. So, I have to meet you guys at the storage unit then?”

“Yup. You…uh… need a minute?” he asked looking up and down Rhett and added, “…or two?”

Link didn’t think he could blush any more than he already was but apparently he was wrong.

“I can give you a ride,” Rhett said, smiling at Link. His eyes hadn’t left him once they separated. Link turned to look at him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

The guy lifted the last of the boxes, Link locked his door and they crammed into the elevator together. Link stood in the back with Rhett whose hand slipped under the hem of Link’s t-shirt and slowly caressed his lower back. Shivers ran along Link’s sides and all of his skin prickled into goosebumps. Just as the elevator doors opened, Rhett’s hand pulled away from him. Link almost moaned; the loss of touch was like a stab to the heart. But then Rhett’s fingers slipped into Link’s jeans’ back pocket and squeezed. Link jumped forward and yelped. The mover turned to glance at them with a smirk and Link muttered something about a muscle cramp. He scowled at Rhett who was looking away from him with the most innocent smile on his face.

They walked into the parking garage. Link was looking for Rhett’s truck, but it was nowhere in sight. Rhett stopped next to a much smaller, silver one.

“You got a new car?” Link asked as they climbed in.

“Actually, it’s a bit older, but the gas mileage is really good,” Rhett said as he backed out of the parking spot.

“Oh. That’s nice.”

“Mm-hm. Can you punch in the address?”

They drove in silence. Link kept glancing at Rhett. He had trouble believing they were actually here. That after all these months apart, Rhett was finally close enough to touch. _And I can touch him if I want to. I’m allowed._ The realization hit him suddenly and it almost took his breath away.

Link’s hand settled on Rhett’s thigh. Rhett glanced at it and he bit his lip but then his eyes returned to the traffic in front of him. Link squeezed lightly; just enough to feel Rhett’s leg muscle flex under his palm but not so much as to make him jump. Rhett swallowed audibly and shifted in his seat. Link’s hand moved towards Rhett’s knee. Just a soft caress, barely touching, then back where it started. He kept going like that, moving his hand up and down Rhett’s leg just for the joy of being able to do that. 

It took him a few minutes to realize that Rhett was squirming in his seat. Link’s eyes whipped to his face. Rhett was staring straight ahead, still biting his lip, hands grabbing onto the steering wheel, knuckles white with how hard he was squeezing. His chest was rising and falling fast and he looked pained. Link’s stomach sank and he quickly drew his hand away.

“You okay?” Link asked quietly, worried that Rhett was having second thoughts. Maybe he shouldn’t have touched him? Rhett let go of the steering wheel with his hand and placed it on Link’s thigh. He proceeded to do to Link what had been done to him. It took Link exactly five slow up and down movements to get hard. He drew a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry. I get it now. Please.”

Rhett was smiling now. “Please what?” he asked in a honeyed tone. Link gasped when Rhett’s hand traveled a bit closer to his crotch.

“Please, either stop or touch me proper. This is torture,” Link moaned. He was close to just touching his aching cock himself. Rhett’s touch was making him lose his mind.

“And you’re not even driving,” Rhett said pointedly, and his hand lifted off of Link. Link whined, small and pathetic. Now that it was gone, he missed the touch desperately.

“Rhett…”

“We’re here,” Rhett said and turned into the parking lot of the storage unit facility. Link slumped against the seat and sighed. 

“Dang.” 

Rhett laughed, unbuckled and pulled Link into a heated kiss. After they separated, Rhett’s mouth found its way near Link’s ear and he whispered, “Don’t worry, baby. We’ll be back home soon enough and then I’ll show you what this mouth can do.” To drive home the point, he slowly licked Link’s earlobe. Link whimpered and pressed his hand on his crotch. The arousal was acute and almost painful. Rhett winked at him and got out of the car. Link had to take a minute to cool down.

\---

After Link’s belongings were safely tucked away and they’d returned to the apartment building, Link was starting to get anxious. They’d go to Rhett’s apartment and then what? Was Rhett expecting to have sex with him? He probably was. And before going to the storage unit, Link had been too. But now that they stood here, next to each other, breathing the same air, heartbeats mingling, everything suddenly became a bit too real for Link.

Rhett had been doing this for years. And to top that off, he’d actually done it professionally! What could Link offer him that he hadn’t already experienced? Nothing. Nothing but bumbling and awkwardness. Link’s breathing quickened and his hands started to tremble. He was breaking into a cold sweat. Rhett was holding onto Link’s lower back, over the shirt this time, and talking about lunch. Link wasn’t listening.

“I don’t want to have sex!” he blurted out right when the elevator doors opened to their floor. Mrs. Rodriguez was standing in the hallway and her eyes flew wide open as Link’s words reached her ears. Link felt the heat spread across his face. He wanted to sink into a hole and stay there. Rhett on the other hand, greeted her politely, even threw in some small talk about the weather and guided Link out of the elevator. Link let Rhett guide him into his apartment.

Rhett sat him down on the couch, pulling a chair in front of him and sitting down. Link had pressed his face onto his hands. Rhett carefully pried them off and took them in his own hands. Rhett’s thumbs were slowly brushing Link’s skin.

“Hey,” he said gently. “Look at me.” Link slowly lifted his eyes. Rhett was looking at him, head tilted to the side, a warm smile on his face.

“That was embarrassing,” Link groaned and tugged on his hands to hide again but Rhett wouldn’t let go.

“A bit, yeah,” Rhett said with a quick grimace. “But I’m sure she’s heard worse.”

“Mmh. I’m sorry…” Link started but Rhett shut him up with a quick, soft kiss.

“Nothing to be sorry about. I get it.”

“No, Rhett, I… I haven’t… I don’t think… God. I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore,” Link was stammering and squirming in his seat.

“We don’t have to do anything today. Or tomorrow. Or any other day you don’t feel like it.”

“But earlier, you said… When you kissed me, and I thought you were taken and stopped you. You...” Link groaned again. He had trouble getting his thoughts out in an understandable form.

“Yes. I was frustrated, because I thought you…” Rhett sighed before continuing, “To be honest, I kind of panicked because I’ve wanted you for so long and I thought it was finally happening and then you pushed me away. But you can’t seriously think I’d ever make you do something you’re not comfortable with?”

“I guess not,” Link whispered. He felt like an idiot. What had he been thinking? That Rhett would just pounce on him and not listen if he said he needed to slow things down?

“So, what I’m thinking is that we should get lunch now and then maybe sit on this couch and kiss until our lips are too chapped to continue. That sound good?”

Link smiled brightly. “Yeah. Sounds perfect.”

Rhett got up and pulled Link with him. They melted into a tight hug.

“I got you now, I’m not in a hurry,” Rhett muttered against Link’s neck. Link just hummed happily as a reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a few chapters left. I can't believe this is almost over. I'm gonna miss these guys. <3
> 
> The usual thank you to Mick for her invaluable support and betaing skills. I love you, bo! <3


	17. Because It's Us

They’d ordered in and were eating at the kitchen table. Rhett had even gotten out the table linens and the fancy plates. He kept fussing over Link, offering him drinks and bites of his food. He listened to Link talk about the success of his work project and his new job with a shining, intense gaze. Rhett’s love for him was so apparent that Link couldn’t help but wonder how he hadn’t seen it before.

“I was an idiot,” Link said after Rhett had just leaned forward to dab a runaway sauce drop from his chin with a napkin.

“I thought we already established that,” Rhett said with a warm chuckle.

“Yeah, but… I can’t believe how blind I was. I mean the Monday night dinners, the way you looked at me, the goddamn blue walls!” Link exclaimed and stopped to laugh out loud. Rhett joined him, blushing in a way that made Link’s stomach tighten deliciously. Link smiled at him. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize that you…”

“…were madly in love with you?” Rhett completed the sentence with a smirk.

“Yeah, something like that. Just saying, I’m an idiot.”

They stared at each other for a minute or two, smiling like two madmen. They were only halfway through their food but suddenly a different kind of hunger replaced Link’s appetite. He got up and walked around the table. Rhett lifted his eyes to look up at him. His gaze was like liquid heat and Link felt it sear his skin. He offered his hand to him.

“What’s this?” Rhett asked as he took Link’s hand and was pulled up. Link just shrugged and pulled him after himself towards the bedroom.

“Link?” Rhett’s voice had a worried edge when Link led them next to Rhett’s bed. Link turned to Rhett and glanced at his concerned expression before dropping his head down. He was embarrassed by the blush that was creeping on his face and the slight tremble of his hands. Hands that now ran up Rhett’s arms feeling his muscles tighten at the touch and then down his chest and stomach. Rhett’s breathing stuttered as they finally stopped and he hooked his index finger on Rhett’s jeans waist tugging on it a little to bring them closer. 

Rhett’s hand cupped Link’s chin and lifted his face up for a soft kiss and a quiet question, “I thought you didn’t want this?”

“I just panicked for a bit. I forgot it’s you. I forgot how you are with me; how good you are to me. I wanna be good to you too… I – I know I’m not gonna be the most experienced partner you’ve ever had. Honestly, I’ll probably be a bumbling fool but I promise to make up all of that in enthusiasm. And if you can be patient, I’ll learn.”

Rhett pulled him into a crushing hug and voice dripping with love, muttered, ”God, I love you so much. Whatever you want. I’ll do whatever you want and it will be extraordinary –because it’s us.” Then he bent down again and found Link’s lips with his own. At first, the kiss was soft and searching; soon, heated and desperate. 

Link’s fingers struggled with Rhett’s jeans for a bit but soon Rhett was stepping out of them. Link was more efficiently relieved from his clothing and he pulled Rhett’s t-shirt off and threw it on the floor before they fell on the bed giggling in a jumble of limbs and soft whispers. Rhett was more than willing--mouth open for languid kisses and body receptive of Link’s curious touches--but he let Link set the pace. Rhett followed Link’s lead; he eased up when he felt Link pulling away and dove back headfirst when Link nudged closer again.

It was perfect. Different than that time months ago when they first kissed. That had been heated too, but in a kind of a tainted way. This was pure and sweet and loving and _so goddamn hot_. Link had trouble concentrating because his mind was screaming at him. _You are kissing him! You’re really kissing him and it’s fucking perfect!_

As their kisses moved from tens to hundreds, Link was starting to feel like he could soon burst out of his skin if Rhett didn’t touch him where he most desired. He could feel Rhett had trouble too. His erection was pressed between them and Link could almost feel it pulse against his skin.

Rhett’s mouth was traveling along Link’s neck, kissing and nibbling; sinking his teeth in once in while to draw hoarse cries from Link's lips. Link’s breathing was heavy and shallow, and he _wanted_ \--wanted Rhett to touch him everywhere, wanted to fall apart in his arms, wanted to fill and be filled. He wanted to see Rhett’s face when the pleasure was too much, wanted to be the one to push him over the edge and the one to catch him after.

“Rhett,” Link murmured.

“Yes, baby,” Rhett answered against Link’s clavicle, teeth gently scraping it, sending shivers straight to Link’s needy cock.

“You promised… in the car. You promised to show me…Ahhh!” It was hard to get the words out when Rhett’s mouth was working on the tender flesh of his neck.

“Mm-hmm,” Rhett hummed. “I remember. You want that? Are you sure?”

“Yes. Please.”

“So polite. My southern belle,” Rhett muttered with a smile as he moved, positioning himself between Link’s legs. His mouth landed on Link’s lower abdomen, slowly kissing and licking the skin right above the curly, dark hairs amongst which his erection proudly stood. Rhett's hands were gently pressed on his sides, slowly moving down. Link’s skin was buzzing all over and Rhett's soft touches felt like electric shocks. Link’s hips rose involuntarily from the bed and a long, low whine rolled from his throat.

“Oh, baby, please,” Rhett muttered against his skin. “Please, never stop making those noises.”

Link huffed in mock annoyance and shut his mouth just to spite him but when Rhett’s hand wrapped around the base of his cock there was no force on heaven or Earth that could have stopped him from moaning. Rhett’s hand moved in slow, long strokes – from root to tip with a small, maddening twist at the end – and Link had no other choice but to rut into his fist with lewd noises he never even knew he could make.

Rhett was sitting on his heels working Link’s cock and staring at him wide eyed and breathing heavy.

“Fuck, babe… How are you this gorgeous?” he whispered with an awed voice and his grip tightened and Link groaned and drew ragged breath after ragged breath. His head was swimming, he was too close. He needed to say something. He was going to embarrass himself. He needed to… Rhett’s hand let go of him.

Almost in anguish, Link’s head whipped up from the pillow and he moaned, ”No, don’t stop! Rhett, please! I’ll… Ohhhh!” Link’s ability to speak was taken away as Rhett sank his mouth on Link’s cock; all the way in, in one slow push. Link felt Rhett’s muscles press against his cock as he swallowed around it. The heat, the wet swirl of his tongue, slow vibration coming from a pleasurable hum, all of it was too much for Link. He forgot his name, he forgot where he was, he forgot the world; there was only the sensation of Rhett. Every muscle cell in Link’s body tightened and released at the same time and Link came with a guttural scream. His load pulsed down Rhett’s throat and his swallows made Link’s body jerk uncontrollably.

Rhett drew Link’s cock out of his mouth and finished him off with a few tight strokes that sent waves of pleasure crashing through Links extremities. His limbs twitched involuntarily and he kept groaning long after Rhett had let go of him. He came down slowly, laying there eyes closed, trying to figure out how to breathe again.

“Wow, you really needed that, huh?” Rhett’s amused voice sounded from above him. Link didn’t even try to reply. He had no interest in embarrassing himself more than he already had. Rhett moved back next to him and pressed his ear to Link’s chest. “Your heart is going crazy. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Link finally managed to mutter. Rhett was slowly petting his belly and giving small kisses to his pecs. Link opened his eyes and looked at him. Rhett’s mouth traveled up his chest, along his neck, lightly kissing his goozle on the way, ending up on Link’s lips. The kiss was slow and tongue-heavy. Link felt Rhett’s erection pressing up against his thigh. Rhett settled their foreheads together and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. 

“You wanna help me with…? You don’t have to if you’re not up for it,” Rhett whispered. Something about the desperation in his voice made Link’s breath catch. An image of Rhett begging on his knees danced in Link’s mind and he had to take a deep breath to re-center himself. The thought was enticing for sure but Link saved it for another time. Right now he felt greedy. He wanted the one thing he’d been dreaming about ever since the day they'd met.

“I want you to fuck me.”

Rhett’s eyes flew open. He shook his head. “Link, we don’t have to. I don’t want you to feel pressured. What’s the rush all of a sudden? We can take our time.”

“We’ve been taking our time. Seven months! I think it’s more than enough. I’m yours. All of me. Make me feel it.”

“Shit. I – Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I don’t want to. I’d probably give an arm or a leg to get inside of you right now. I’m just worried that you’re a bit drunk on the intimacy and still high on the afterglow and not thinking clearly… I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later.”

Link grabbed Rhett’s face in his hands and brought them so close to one another that their noses were bushing together.

“Rhett. You could do nothing to my body that I would regret. I want this. I want you. Make love to me.”

Rhett made a desperate throat sound and dove in for a kiss so intense Link felt it in his bones. It simmered and shined and made him light up with need. When they finally parted, Link was dizzy and smiling from ear to ear. Rhett got up and scrambled for his nightstand. A tube of lube was fished out of the drawer and Link couldn’t help it; the mere sight of it made his stomach flip and his spent cock twitch. Rhett scooted back to him and coated his fingers.

“Have you ever done anal stimulation?” Rhett asked him, crooking his eyebrow. Link nodded, relieved that at least this was something he was familiar with. He was glad though that he didn’t get a follow-up question that would reveal to Rhett how new it was to him. He’d ordered that toy he’d been thinking about and had used it a lot these past few weeks. He thought he was ready for this. He thought he knew what was coming next.

Rhett's eyes were on Link's as he pushed the first finger inside of him. Link's hands grabbed his shoulders in surprise and his eyes widened. A small smile ghosted on Rhett's lips and he asked quietly: "Good?" Link only managed to nod as a reply. He was falling into a totally new sensation. His breath caught and his back arched off the bed. This was something else; something totally and completely other. The toy had nothing on Rhett. He moved with purpose and skill. His mouth worked on Link’s neck and shoulders as his fingers worked on the tense muscles between his legs. It was intimate and sweet and Link cursed the toy in his head. It was a sad imitation of this and he'd never use it again if he could help it. And even better than the feel of Rhett inside Link, was the sound of Rhett’s voice murmuring praises and encouragements into his ear between licks and kisses.

“That’s it, baby. Just relax. I’ll take good care of you. Mm-hmm. Close your eyes, just concentrate on my voice. God, you’re beautiful. That jaw line…could spend an entire afternoon just snacking on that. Delicious. Okay, you think you could take one more? Uh-huh. Oh, you’re so good. You take it so well. Yes, baby. You feel amazing. Does this feel good? Hm. And now? Oh, that’s a good spot. Yeah. Just imagine how good it will feel when it’s my cock instead of these measly fingers… Oh, I wonder if I can make you cum twice. The way you just came makes me think I can. Mmh, you’re doing so well, darlin’.“

Link squirmed under the onslaught of sensations; Rhett’s fingers inside of him, his warm breath on his ear, his honeyed words seeping into his mind, the silky sheets under his naked body, and the pulsing need in him. He was moving his hips in desperate jerks, trying to get more out of Rhett’s fingers, all the while moaning a low, constant breathless sound that would translate to _take me, love me, have me, fuck me._

“I think…” Link gasped, swallowed hard and continued, ”…I’m ready.”

“Good boy. I think so too. Just a moment,” Rhett whispered and the stretch of his fingers disappeared. Link almost wanted to slip his own fingers into their place. He felt empty. He looked with half-lidded eyes as Rhett ripped open a condom wrapping. Link wondered absentmindedly if the women he’d been with had felt as turned on by the process as he was now. Rhett was magnificent, kneeling on the bed, holding his thick cock in his hands, gently rolling the condom on himself. Link let out a whimper. Rhett’s gaze whipped to him and he cocked an eyebrow.

“That much, huh?” he muttered with a smug smile and Link just lifted his hands to pull Rhett on top of himself. There was some shuffling - moving of limbs, hushed words of guidance - as they slotted their bodies together and then Link felt Rhett slowly pressing in. He was big. Link tensed up immediately; he couldn’t help it.

“Relax, baby. Breathe,” Rhett murmured and when he felt Link doing just that he moved a half-an-inch deeper. Link jerked away.

“Christ!” he gasped and Rhett immediately stopped.

“Too much?” he asked.

“No… Maybe? I – I just need a moment. It’s a lot,” Link muttered feeling embarrassed. He felt vulnerable laying all splayed out under Rhett.

“Do you want to stop? It’s okay if you do,” Rhett assured.

“No! I’m just… You’re so much bigger than…” Link said and blushed hard.

“Bigger than what Link?” Rhett asked and grinned at him wickedly.

“Nothing… Forget it. Just go slow. I can take it.”

Rhett gave him a small kiss on the nose and pulled out.

“Wait! I said I was fine…” Link started to protest. Rhett hopped on the bed next to him and said, ”Let’s try this way. You have more control.”

“Oh,” Link said and sat up. “You want me to ride you?”

“Like the little cowboy you are,” Rhett said with an eyebrow raise and a small smirk.

“I’m not little,” Link huffed as he settled on top of Rhett. Rhett’s hand caressed Link’s cock with a soft touch; from this position, he had perfect access to it. Rhett slowly shook his head and whispered, ”No, definitely not.”

Link took a deep breath and guided Rhett’s cock against his entrance. He immediately felt better about the position. Rhett had been right; he felt like he was more in control. Rhett looked up at him, eyes wide and dark; waiting for Link to make the first move. He was so beautiful it made Link’s belly ache. Was he really Link’s to take like this? It seemed almost impossible. Link moved torturously slow and sank down only just enough for the head of Rhett’s cock to slip in. The stretch was still a lot to take but now there was a sweet edge to it. Link wanted more, wanted to be filled to the brim.

Rhett’s eyes flitted closed and his mouth opened to a silent moan. The sight of his enjoyment spurred Link on. He planted his palms on Rhett’s chest and pressed him deeper. That earned him an audible moan. Rhett’s hands grabbed Link’s hips and squeezed as Link sank even lower.

“God, baby. You’re so fucking tight,” Rhett murmured, voice hoarse. His breathing had gone ragged. Link hummed in agreement and sank all the way down. A small whimper fell from Rhett’s lips, followed by a sharp gasp when Link nudged his hips forward. Link had never felt this empowered.

“Never stop making those noises,” he teased with a smile. He was the one making Rhett moan. He was the one making Rhett’s breath catch and quicken. He could do this; he could make Rhett writhe and whine and eventually cum. Link felt lightheaded from this new power he possessed.

“Are you good?” Rhett asked quietly, peeking at Link from under his lids. His fingers were now tenderly caressing Link’s upper thighs.

“This is amazing. It’s like we were meant to fit together like this,” Link answered voice strained, breath catching. He trained his gaze on Rhett's eyes and swallowed. “I love you.”

“I love you more,” Rhett whispered blushing fiercely. Link took his blush and let the warmth of it settle into his chest. Rhett's hands traveled back to Link’s hips and squeezed gently.

“Can you move for me, baby?” His voice had an edge of begging that made the hairs on the back of Link’s neck stand on end. He nodded.

Link moved slowly, first by just rolling his hips while Rhett was fully sheathed. Rhett groaned, voice gravelly and weak, making Link’s heart sing and his belly tighten. Link had been so concentrated on getting sounds out of Rhett that he’d almost forgotten his own pleasure. It all came rushing back when he shifted a bit on top of Rhett and suddenly his cock was hitting Link just right. Link growled and moved his hips chasing the feeling. The stretch didn’t bother him anymore; it felt good – right. Rhett fit him perfectly and when Link moved his hips just so, Rhett hit him perfectly. 

As good as it was, it was not what he had wanted. He’d wanted Rhett to take him. Link balanced himself above Rhett and left a bit of room between them. 

“Want you to fuck into me,” he ordered breathlessly when he was sure he could stay in that position. Rhett’s eyes flitted open. His hands were still on Link’s hips.

“Huh?” he asked. He looked wrecked. Hair tangled in knots, biting his lip, trying to focus his eyes on Link. His chest rose and fell in quick succession.

“Come on, Rhett. I’m here. I’m yours. Show me how much you love me,” Link coaxed him with a softer voice. That seemed to work. Rhett’s hips rose slowly and he drilled into Link making him throw his head back in a strangled moan.

“Yes! Oh God, yes. More!”

Rhett hands moved up and grabbed onto Link’s waist. He anchored Link to where he was and then his hips rose with a quick snap. Link gasped as Rhett’s cock sank into him deep and fast and oh, so fucking sweet.

“Too much?” Rhett whispered, sounding worried. Link shook his head. He grabbed a hold of Rhett’s biceps for balance.

“No. Just right. Go on, baby.”

“You just called me baby,” Rhett said voice suddenly soft and awed. Link let out a breathy laugh and turned his head so he could look at Rhett again. Their eyes met, both hooded and glazed with lust.

“I’ll call you anything you want if you just keep going.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Rhett said smiling and then his hips were moving again. He started slow but quickly picked up speed. Link closed his eyes and just lived in the feeling of Rhett filling him up hard and fast. Rhett was breathing heavy under him, letting out groans that faintly sounded like something Link had heard before, but not really; they were more needy, more desperate. Link’s name slipped from his lips, more than once, sounding like the loveliest tune Link had ever heard. He answered with sounds of his own, moaning and whimpering, spurring Rhett on with pleas and praises.

“God, you feel amazing,” Rhett murmured. “I’m so close. I - fuck, baby! I’m gonna… Hnnnnnggg!” Rhett’s words jumbled into unintelligible moaning and his movements grew erratic and rough. Link’s thighs were shaking; he couldn’t hold himself up anymore. He pressed down on Rhett, settled one palm on his chest again and moved in slow circles against his desperate hip thrusts. Rhett whimpered an ‘I love you’ and ‘please don’t stop’. Link felt dizzy and he whispered his an ‘I love you’ back before wrapping his other hand around his own leaking cock. He stroked frantically and growled as the orgasm built up in his belly. Shivers of pleasure surged up his spine and Rhett was so deep in him it was like he didn’t know where Rhett stopped and he began.

"Rhett, look at me," he growled. He'd wanted for the words to come out soft but he was teetering on the edge of his second orgasm; nothing felt soft for him right now. Everything was sharp and in perfect focus. Rhett's eyes flew open and Link looked into his eyes, the color of them like the green of a dense forest reflecting from an overgrown pond. Link dove into him. Under the surface everything was still and silent and serene. The world drifted away and only the two of them remained. Link gasped for air, willingly drowning into Rhett and the pleasure that rippled between them. It was only when Rhett called out Link's name that Link resurfaced with a groan and the world returned filling him with heat and urgency.

"Cum for me, baby. Wanna see you when you fall apart," Link rasped. His hand was a blur on his cock and he was still tethered to Rhett's eyes. Rhett looked like he was in agony but Link knew it was just the opposite.

Link could feel Rhett coming before he heard him. The sound that followed his cock pulsing inside of Link came from deep within Rhett’s chest, piercing Link’s heart and driving him over the edge. Rhett was still moaning and gasping and bucking into Link as Link spilled his seed on Rhett’s stomach with a soundless moan. The pleasure was too intense, it took everything out of him, even his voice.

As the last waves of pleasure washed over Link, he collapsed on top of Rhett. Rhett scrambled to hold onto the condom as he slipped out of Link. Link rolled over onto his back next to Rhett with a satisfied groan and stared at the ceiling. He was awestruck. For the first time in his life, he felt utterly satiated after sex. A wide smile spread across his face.

“I get it now,” he said and drew a deep breath. Rhett turned to look at him.

“You get what?”

“I’ve always wondered why everyone else was going all crazy trying to get laid. If I’d known it was like that…” 

“Oh, baby,” Rhett chuckled and shook his head.

“What?” Link asked looking at him, confused.

“Me too, honey. Me too,” Rhett muttered with a smile, drew Link in his arms and placed a tender kiss on his nose.

“It’s not usually like that? For you?” Link asked, dumbfounded.

“No. Never.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mick, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support. <3 You mean the world to me.


	18. It's A Wrap

Link woke up slightly disoriented. The morning light came from the wrong direction and it took him a moment to realize he wasn’t in their home in L.A. He was in his childhood bedroom in North Carolina. Link turned on his back and reached for Rhett but found the bed empty and cold. He sighed and wished for a warm body to press against.

Link sat up and eyed his old room. It looked almost the same as it had all those years ago when he left for college. The only new things were the computer on the desk and the bed. The computer was his mother’s. She used it in her new volunteer job at the LGBTQ+ youth outreach program she’d helped to establish in Link’s hometown.

The bed was…well, the bed was actually in a way Rhett’s. It had appeared in Link’s room before their second visit to his childhood home. Apparently, Link’s mother had heard Rhett talking about his back pain and decided to make him feel more comfortable – and more welcome. 

Rhett cried that first night they’d slept on it. Link had held him in their new bed in this home away from home and consoled him as he vented out the frustrations and heartbreak he felt towards his own parents. Link’s mother’s silent show of approval of their relationship and Rhett’s presence in Link’s life – and in the lives of Link’s parents – was more than Rhett had ever dared to hope for.

Link still had trouble believing how easily things had fallen into a place with his parents. His mother had turned the corner so fast Link felt like he’d gotten whiplash. It only took a few months of soul searching and apparently one big blowout with a now ex-friend who’d called Link an f-word. Link’s mother had allegedly let her have an earful – there were even some rumors about a slap, but his mother had denied them vehemently – and after that she’d gone from a conservative Southerner to a full-blown ally. 

Link’s father had taken more time to warm up to the idea. It was only after he and Rhett went on a camping trip together – arranged by Link’s mother – that he more or less begrudgingly accepted the new order of things. Link tried to ask Rhett after their trip what had made him change his mind but Rhett just smiled and said it was between him and Link’s father.

Link got up and drew on the first pair of clothes he got his hands on. He padded downstairs in search of his better half. He was easy enough to find; his and Link’s mother’s laughter sounded from the kitchen. They were sitting at the breakfast table, side by side, looking at some pamphlets, giggling like little children. Link stopped at the entrance and leaned against the doorframe taking in the sight of his loved ones enjoying the morning.

“Hey, you two. What’s so funny?” he asked when they finally noticed him.

“Oh, good morning, love. Nothing really. Just something silly Rhett said. Take some coffee, it’s freshly made,” Link’s mother offered.

Link lifted one eyebrow at Rhett who just shrugged and smiled and lifted his hand as an invitation. Link walked up to him and let Rhett wrap his arm around Link’s waist and pull him against his side. Link bent down and kissed Rhett on top of his head.

“Good morning, darlin’,” Rhett murmured and lifted his face to receive another, chaste kiss on his lips. From the corner of his eye, Link could see his mother smiling at them.

“Good morning. I’ll take that coffee and get out of your hair. Let you get back to your secrets,” Link said with mock annoyance. In actuality, he loved how his mother had taken Rhett under her wing and how fiercely Rhett had grown to love his future mother-in-law. They were sickeningly cute and it warmed Link’s heart. Rhett deserved all the love and acceptance in the world and the fact that Link’s mother could provide some of that made Link endlessly happy. 

“No, you sit with your mother and have breakfast. I’m gonna go pack. We have to leave soon,” Rhett said, downed the rest of his morning tea and got up. His hand rested on Link’s mother’s shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. She smiled up at him as he said, “Thank you for breakfast, Sue, it was delicious as always.” 

“Nonsense. Just something I threw together. But thank you, dear.”

Rhett smiled and shook his head at her before walking out the kitchen. They had an early flight home. Link had obviously already packed last night. He poured himself some coffee and sat in the chair Rhett had left vacant.

“So, what were you talking about?” he asked his mother.

“Rhett was helping me proofread these pamphlets. He has so many good ideas,” she said and sighed. “I’m so sad you have to go home already.”

“You’re just sad he’s going,” Link teased. His mother slapped his arm playfully and blushed.

“He’s lovely, yes, but I love having my boy home. You know that.”

“I know, Mama,” Link said and leaned over to give his mother an awkward side hug.

She smiled sweetly and kissed Link’s cheek before getting up. She busied herself cleaning the kitchen and after a moment said absentmindedly, “Rhett asked me to come and see the headquarters in L.A.”

Link started to butter toast and smiled at his mother. Rhett’s new job might have been one of the biggest reasons for their burgeoning friendship. Link had soon learned why Rhett had changed his car to a more affordable one. After the attack and the media attention it had garnered, he had been offered a job at the national LGBTQ+ youth project. Rhett worked as a spokesperson and had a hand in planning and executing a lot of new campaigns for the organization. And it was not uncommon for Rhett to speak to someone on the phone for a long time about events and campaigns to end the call saying to Link that his mother had said hi.

_“She calls you more often than she calls me!” Link had huffed once after one of those calls. Rhett had jumped on the bed next to him and nuzzled his face on Link’s bare, shower-fresh stomach._

_“That’s just because she loves me more,” Rhett had teased and nibbled around Link’s belly button making him jerk and giggle._

_“She does!” Link had said with a laugh – only half-joking. Rhett had turned his head sideways and looked at Link with hooded eyes._

_“She does not. She’s just using me for my gay knowledge.”_

_Link’s hand had found its way on Rhett’s head and his fingers had carded through his hair messing up the meticulously arranged hairdo._

_“She loves you. Like a son. And you know it,” Link said, voice filled with the love he felt for this man laying on his lap. Rhett had blushed and hidden his face onto Link’s stomach again. A muffled “And I love you” made Link’s heart swell up and he drew Rhett up and into a kiss before whispering the words back to him._

Link was pulled away from the memory by his mother’s next words.

“I’m thinking about coming next month.”

Link’s gaze whipped to her.

“What?”

“Yes. I’m very interested in seeing how they do things out there in the big city. It’s going to be fascinating and I’m sure I’ll get so many new ideas on how to go about things here.”

“You’re coming to L.A.?” Link asked flabbergasted. He’d tried to get his parents to come to visit for ages, but his mother had always declined saying the flight was too long and that big cities made her feel anxious. Apparently, it only took Rhett asking her once to forget all that. Link felt like he should feel hurt by it, but he couldn’t. He’d do anything Rhett asked him to as well.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” his mother said looking a bit guilty. Link got up and hugged her properly. They stood in the embrace for a long time.

“I’m sorry, Mama. I’m so glad to hear that. Maybe we can get some sightseeing done too after you’ve grilled Rhett enough about his work?”

“I’d love that, honey. And I’m excited to see your little apartment. Rhett’s been telling me all about it.”

“Of course he has,” Link said with a chuckle.

They’d been living together for almost a year now. Link had stayed the night at Rhett’s place after he had given up his own apartment and he’d never left. At first, he’d been looking for a new place with the full intention of getting one as soon as possible but Rhett had consistently found fault with every apartment Link had shown him.

_“Too far away.”_

_“The bathroom is too small.”_

_“No closet space.”_

_“A highway is right next to that, think of the noise pollution.”_

_“The kitchen is in a horrible condition.”_

_By that time, Link had gotten somewhat annoyed._

_“I don’t even cook! What does it matter?!” he’d snapped after Rhett had once again shot down a potential apartment. Rhett had just shrugged and went back to writing a campaign outline for raising awareness for ace and aro folks. Link had stared at him with a scowl. He’d slammed the laptop closed before muttering._

_“Fine. Maybe I won’t move at all. I’m just gonna stay here forever.”_

_Rhett hadn’t even lifted his gaze from the computer. “Good. That’s all I wanted.”_

_Link had frozen in place. His mouth had been hanging slightly open and he’d stared at Rhett with a racing heart._

_“Really?” he’d asked, voice soft and small. Rhett had finally lifted his face back to him. He’d been smiling too._

_“Of course.”_

_“So, we’re living together?”_

_“Seems that way.”_

_“And you’re okay with that?”_

_“More than okay.”_

_“Okay.”_

And that had been the end of discussion. They’d gotten Link’s things from the storage, sold a few pieces of furniture from both of them and mingled the rest together. Nothing had ever felt more right to Link. Their lives had intertwined so easily it was almost like it was meant to be.

\---

They said a tearful goodbye to Link’s parents and started a long travel day back to the west coast.

“You excited?” Rhett asked after the first in-flight movie. Link turned to look at him.

“About going home? Yeah, of course.”

“No, I wasn’t actually talking about that,” Rhett said with a smirk. “Our anniversary is this weekend…”

Link blushed fiercely and swallowed.

“Oh. Yeah. That. I’m excited. I still can’t believe we did that.”

“You still can’t believe you did that,” Rhett corrected him with a warm chuckle and a quick, surreptitious kiss on his cheek. “I still can’t believe how easy it was to get you on board.”

Link smiled sheepishly and shook his head. They were going to see it next weekend and as excited as Link was, he was also terrified. What if he hated it and made Rhett feel bad? What if it was not at all sexy and just awkward and weird? What if Rhett thought it was bad? Maybe they should’ve just watched it on a normal night, not on their first anniversary. Would that put too much pressure on the whole thing to be perfect? Link sighed and tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He took Rhett’s hand, squeezed it and turned to stare out the window.

It had all started with an off-hand comment from Stevie. They’d been at some party, all of them pretty sauced and somehow the conversation had veered into adult entertainment.

_“I should totally recruit Link!” Stevie had said with a giggle. “He’d be perfect for porn. That pretty face and fit body. And I hear he’s not lacking in the downstairs apartment either…” She’d continued with a lewd wink. Emma had giggled in her arms and quickly glanced at Rhett who had been scowling at Stevie and slowly shaking his head as a warning. Link had just laughed. He’d already had a few too many drinks and had been feeling silly and happy._

_“If you can convince Rhett to get back from retirement, I’m in!” he’d announced, and he and Stevie had spent the rest of the night playfully pestering Rhett about it._

_That night, after the lights were out and they were laying in bed in each other's arms, Rhett had quietly asked. “You were kidding, right?”_

_“About the porn thing?” Link guessed._

_“Yeah.”_

_Link had been quiet for a while. He’d never really thought about it. Would he do it?_

_“Yes and no,” he finally said._

_“Care to elaborate?”_

_“Yes, I’d film with you. I think it could be pretty hot. No, I wouldn’t let Stevie sell it.”_

And that’s how the idea was born. Stevie had been very excited when Rhett had asked if she could arrange for some camera gear for them to loan. Rhett had told her repeatedly that it was just for them, but Stevie just kept nodding and smirking, making Rhett lose his mind. 

The whole thing had been as semi-professional as it could be without a crew. They had multiple camera angles and costumes and Rhett had even talked Link into letting a friend of his cut their footage together. That had taken some convincing, but in the end, Link couldn’t help feeling a bit tickled by the idea that someone else saw their escapades even if it was just one guy that had seen thousands of videos like that.

\---

They’d gone to dinner first and returned home already a bit buzzed on wine and high on the silly romantic gestures they’d done for each other. They stumbled into their apartment, tangled in together, mouths pressed into a fervent kiss. Rhett’s hands grabbed the backs of Link’s thighs and lifted him onto a bureau they had in their foyer. Rhett had confessed that he’d wanted to place it there just so he could do this once in a while. Link had had no objections. Now with his legs wrapped around Rhett’s waist, his hips wiggled to get them closer together.

“I can’t believe it’s been a year,” Rhett whispered as Link’s mouth went exploring down his neck. Link hummed against his skin and bit down hard enough to make Rhett buck against him. Link smiled and his hand slipped between them to palm Rhett’s growing hardness.

“I could ride you tonight,” Link mused. “Like I did a year ago. Seems fitting.”

Rhett groaned as Link’s fingers worked around his clothed cock. Then he pushed away and looked Link at arms-length. He still took Link’s breath away. Sometimes he wondered if he could ever get used to the way Rhett made him feel. All warm and squishy on the inside while desperately hard where it mattered. Right now, Rhett was handsome as hell in his fitted suit and green tie, all dolled-up just for Link, eyes shining with love and lust.

“Sounds amazing, but we still have something to do before that,” Rhett reminded him with a lopsided grin. Link bit his lip. He’d almost forgotten.

“Okay.”

Rhett stepped in, pressing his body against him and his mouth found Link’s ear.

“Wanna watch you fuck me, babe,” Rhett rasped into it.

Link’s stomach flipped and was instantly set aflame. He closed his eyes and breathed a ragged breath.

Rhett set up the laptop on the coffee table and Link opened them a bottle of wine. Rhett was waiting for him on the couch, the video already queued up.

“You ready, baby?” Rhett asked as he took the offered wine glass. Link sat next to him and Rhett squeezed his thigh before letting his hand settle on it. Link appreciated the offer of comfort. He was a bit anxious still. Excited, but anxious. He leaned towards Rhett and their mouths slotted together for one slow, passionate kiss. Then Link settled in his seat and murmured, “As ready as I’ll ever be.” 

He took a deep breath.

“Play it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pssst... If you want to read the other side of this story just go [Across The Hall](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20123998/chapters/47673400).
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read, commented, sent asks and gushed to me on my DMs at Tumblr. This story has been on works for a long time and I'm glad to see it finally finished. 
> 
> I would say I'm sad to let go of these versions of Rhett and Link, but this time I don't actually have to just yet... Keep your eyes peeled! ;)
> 
> I want to - again - thank my lovely beta and Tumblr wife for life, Mick (@sass-and-panache). She has been my rock and my sounding board during the writing of this fic. I love you and my life and my writing is so much better because of you! <3


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